Harry, Severus and the Year that Shouldn't Have Been so Hard
by bibbitybobbityboohoo
Summary: So yeah Harry expected it to be hard to GET to Hogwarts (Seriously, a lighthouse?) but once they got there it was supposed to be easy right? He wasn't supposed to be Wizard Jesus! And what's with all these weirdo professors? ALL of them! The Potions and DADA professors are actual creeps and the transfiguration professor keeps staring at Severus! Oh and there's a rock. It's cool.
1. Prologue

Technically you don't need to read the prequel to understand this sorta like how you could start any series without reading the one before. I don't own nothing of the Harry Potter series. This is just for fun.

Let's begin!

+—

The man stumbled through the streets, unseeing and desperate. He held out his hands and pleaded silently—only silently because his throat refused to work—for someone, anyone to help him, to hear him. Please, please! But he knew that the houses were empty. He had timed his arrival and his stupid, stupid search to coincide with the town's festivities. His legs shook with the effort to keep standing, keep. Going. Forward.

It was dark. Too dark to be natural. He rubbed at his eyes with one hand, nails scratching down his face but he couldn't feel it. It had to hurt, he could tell that his hands were becoming slippery with the blood he was no doubt drawing but, but this darkness. So, so dark. It wasn't just his eyes. It swallowed him whole, encased his every sense until he was sure it was _inside_ his very soul. It was so cold and silent but he hoped. He thought maybe, just maybe he was actually making noise, screaming at the top of his lungs. Maybe his body and magic was fighting back, trying to push away this horrible, unfeeling darkness.

Cold. Why was it so cold? This town, this entire country was a sweltering, dry desert. It had been so hot that he had stopped sweating after just an hour and water seemed to evaporate out of his canteen of dry upon leaving his wand. But, but it wasn't like that now. He was cold. It was cold. Like ice had found a home in his heart and spread through his veins.

"Yoooouuuu haaavveee fooounnnddd meee. Aren't you haappppyyy?" Evil. Hateful. _Amused_. His legs buckled under him and he fell face first on the dusty ground or he thought he did. He felt weightless. Defeated by this voice, this evil that he did, indeed, bring onto himself. Foolish. Stupid. The voice chuckled but not in his ears. It was inside him. It was the ice cold in his heart and the darkness surrounding him. It pressed into his brain, wrapped itself around his magical core and became him. _He_ became him. He who must not be named.

Lord Voldemort.

Slowly, he felt the world come back. The first thing he noted was the hot tears and sticky snot that was smeared around his face. He lost the battle. He had fought as long as he could walk. Slowly, his eyes focused on the nearest house that he could make out from his limp position on the ground. Fresh tears fell down his face, burning the cuts he had caused. Two meters. He had made it two pathetic, weak meters.

"Get. Up. Quuuiiirrriiinusssss," the evil dark lord fragment commanded. He didn't want to get up. He wanted to lay there until his body decayed of its own will but his limbs gathered themselves to push him onto his knees then his feet. He moved… oddly. Like a puppet in the hands of an inexperienced puppeteer. But he was moving, one foot in front of the other even as he shook and trembled. This was terrifying. He was so, so scared. He could feel the evil scraping slowly through his mind, scratching and scoffing and _laughing_ at his memories, at his thoughts.

"Paaathettticccc. You thought _you_ could defeat _me_? Even liiiikkkeee thissss you are _weaker_. I have shaken _hands_ with _children_ stronger than yooouuuuu." Quirinus flinched, tried to flinch, from the horrible words he couldn't quite deny. He was pathetic. He was weak. Magically, physically and mentally. He would have fainted by now if not for this puppeteer act. Even as a teacher at a successful and established school like Hogwarts he was still the bottom of the barrel. He couldn't even keep control of his class—not that it was a real subject anyway but they laughed at him. They pulled horrible pranks on him and _mocked_ him. Even his colleagues knew he was lesser.

What would they think of him now? Dumbledore would laugh him right out of the school gates. He muffled a sob—was allowed to muffle a sob with a hand stuffed in his mouth. Pathetic. Stupid. Weak.

"Pooooor Quirinus. Dooo nooot fret. I can make you stronger. I can make you beeeeetttteeerrrr. For heeelllppping me, noouurriisshhhing me I will make you stronger than you ever dreamed. No one will ever laaauuugghhh at you again." Quirinus stopped in front of the shop, looking into the red eyes that laid over his and the sharp tooth smile that curled on his lips. Really? He could be stronger? He could make people respect him? "Yeeesss. Of coooouuurrrssseeee. Feeeeed me and then we shallll begggaaannnnnn."

+—

Rain poured outside during a late, hot summer evening. Only one light remained on at 4 Privet Drive in the middle room housing two ten-almost-eleven year old boys. They sat on their large beds, facing each other with their legs crossed and knees almost touching. Their eyes were shut and they took deep breaths in and out together. It was peacefully quiet. Too quiet. The black haired boy slid open one brilliantly green eye to look to his twin. The boy's pale face was void of any emotion to the point where Harry thought he might be sleep. He leaned forward just a bit, breath held to not give him away that he was so close.

"Close your eyes, Harry," the redhead commanded, causing Harry to jerk backwards.

"You close _your_ eyes, Severus," Harry huffed even as he followed the order. It was quiet once more but, honestly Harry was so bored of all this meditating. He hated these new lessons on top of the ones with writing with a quill and using parchment and all sorts of stuff that was completely boring on top of the homework they had at school. It still wasn't a challenge for Severus—nothing was a challenge for Severus but Harry wasn't Severus. It had been a awful struggle to climb from the bottom all the way into the top five where Severus _insisted_ he be. There were dozens of sleepless nights of studying that got him there and he was very proud of himself but it was only fair that when they were out of school that they not do school like work. Meditating fell under that.

Harry groaned and flopped backwards on their bed, looking up at their ceiling. He still wasn't sure how he had convinced Aunt Petunia to let him paint it but he thought it looked like a real sunny sky and he thought that maybe he would get the chance to add some birds to it. Harry groaned again and kicked out, careful to not hit his brother. Severus would take it as a challenge or some roundabout, secret way that Harry really _did_ want fighting lessons—which he did not. Harry has never been so sore in his entire ten years of life. He would much rather be painting something or taking pictures. When was the last time he got to do that?

"These lessons are important and you should treat them that way. If I had a wand I could show you just how painful it is to have your mind forcibly opened," Severus sniped, glaring at him with one brown eye. Harry stuck out his tongue most childishly but he couldn't help it. This sudden seriousness in his lessons and adamant belief that he'd never see his 'muggle' friends again scared him and made him a little angry. Why couldn't he have both of best worlds? It wasn't fair to even consider giving up the twins or Nate.

"What are the chances that someone will even do that? You said that Legitimacy is obscure magic that nobody knows about," Harry rolled off the bed to grab his sketch pad and a pencil—not a stupid quill. For good measure he knocked one of the quills over and hope it broke even though Severus had purchased seven of them.

"Legilimency, Harry. Legilimency," Severus sighed. "And it isn't that nobody knows about it. It is that only few _care_ about it and are powerful enough to master it. It is also not what I want you to learn. I want you to be able to shield your mind with Occulmency."

"But whhhyyyy?" Harry whined as he pushed up his glasses (round ones like his dad because he was mature now) and bent over his sketch. It was of Surajmukhi facing a window with a small and pretty smile on her face. She still had the prettiest smile in the whole world and, by now, he knew that it wasn't because she was the only girl he knew. Being that she was the prettiest girl, his sketch wasn't nearly as good as he thought it could be. On the other hand being pretty meant that she was also very, very nice and kind and amazing so she'd love his drawing even if it was just three circles and some dots.

Harry gritted his teeth and maybe pressed too hard on the curve of her ear. He didn't care what Severus said, insisted or demanded. He wouldn't just give Surajmukhi up like that. No, he'd write to her all the way from the Arctic if he had to! And he knew she'd write back.

Severus pinched the bridge of his nose and pulled in every urge he had to attack his twin. He really loved him, he did but for the last week Harry's been acting like a whiny brat. A week of nonstop complaining and refusing to take his studies seriously and now Severus's nerves were frayed. Hogwarts was literally around the corner and he needed Harry to learn these skills and he couldn't tell the boy why. Severus sighed and put a hand over his eyes.

His ma and pa kept many secrets from him from their identities to his birth parents but they never, ever kept the facts of what they faced from him. Maybe the name of their attacker but never the fact that they were being attacked—hunted really. Hunted by a danger that was fast, relentless and crafty. It got them in the end and spared him for some reason, perhaps because he was a child or maybe he had been hidden. The memory eluded him but it made not a difference in the secret he kept from Harry and planned rovers keep for as long as he could.

Because this was different. He absolutely _had_ to keep this secret from Harry. Harry was just starting to act like a normal kid so how could he ruin that by burdening him with the knowledge that there was a great danger—a _dark lord_ —after him and only him? From what he could tell this dark lord knew nothing of Severus and therefore wanted nothing to do with him so it was Harry he worried about, Harry he wanted to protect even if it was to give him the taste of a danger free Wizarding world.

Severus figured he would wait until their second or third year, after Harry had a wand and got used to it. For now he tried to drill in lessons that his ma and pa taught him as soon as he could talk. Without a wand his lessons were muggle in nature; escape drills (that Harry excelled at and seemed to enjoy), self defense, and meditation that would be the first layer of Occlumency.

If he had a wand… Severus briefly wondered (as he was prone to do) what happened to his ma's wand. She taught him simple spells with it and even though it wasn't made for him, it still reacted when she guided his hand and whispered the words in his ear even though he knew them, could say them. His heart constricted a little bit, just a soft pinch compared to the horrible squeeze from four years ago. He still missed them so much it hurt but he had also opened his heart enough to stop calling his biological mum and dad 'Lily and James'. He had even taken to looking at the photo album he gifted to Harry and admired the features they shared. They looked like nice, happy people.

"Why'd you let Alex hit you?" A gentle hand pressed into the small bruise in its final stages of healing. Severus opened his eyes to see his concerned twin and felt all the anger leave his body. He brushed the hand aside and picked up what was turning into a favorite book of his: Wandering with Werewolves. It was absolute rubbish by some idiot who shouldn't even have a wand much less writing books. This Lockhart man was good for a laugh or five. "I still don't get it! You could beat that prat with your hands tied behind your back—I mean you gave him a good thrashing but you let him punch you in the face!"

"His mum is sick," Severus reminded his twin. The fight Alex put up was more than a little pathetic but he supposed the boy thought Severus would brush him off as he normally did at school and amongst their friends. He hadn't. He rose to the challenge by tying up his hair and gave the boy until the time he finished to get ready. He hadn't. Then Severus delivered a right hook so clean that he was sure his pa was applauding. Severus justified his violent response with the fact that this was the last year he'd seen the annoying boy. It was only right to grant his wish to fight Severus one on one with their bare fists. In retrospect that wish might not have included having a tooth knocked out but that was less Severus's problem and more Alex's.

"Are you ever going to tell me why he doesn't like you? I know you know why," Harry gently brushed his pencil across the bridge that made Surajmukhi's nose. The harsh line on the ear actually wasn't bad, he had decided. The black haired boy thought that maybe he had a bit of a talent for drawing or maybe it was all the hard work he put into it. Practice, practice, practice Miss Sharp has encouraged last year.

"It is really inconsequential," Severus rolled his eyes. Harry asked him every time the boy did or said something spiteful so the question was posed very often but it was so petty that Severus didn't feel it was worth his time to explain the situation. It was so petty that Alex didn't even share it with anybody except Nate and he only told the future witch doctor in hopes of causing a wedge in their friendship. It didn't work, obviously but it still irritated Severus into driving his fist just a little bit harder than necessary when he punched the boy in the gut. Severus pushed his victim out of his mind and went back to the hilarious 'book'.

They fell into a comfortable silence.

Harry observed his brother out the corner of his eye, hand still shading. He had been waiting for the right time to bring this up and he was very, very sure that this was that time. He swallowed hard and adapted the calm air of Nate. So the calmest air.

"Hey Severus?" Harry started casually.

"Hm?"

"You know you're always teaching me something all the time but I got a cool idea. How about I teach you something?" Harry kept his eyes on his sketchpad but he knew some things about his brother. Severus had secrets but two things he couldn't hide was his almost insane level of curiosity and his arrogance both of which would have the redhead questioning just what Harry said of all people could offer to teach him that wasn't absolutely useless. It was silent still. He risked a look at his brother to see his eyes still locked onto the funny book he was currently obsessed with but his toes were flexing against their comforter and he hadn't flipped the page yet. Harry counted under his breath. One… two…

"Speak," Severus closed his book with an audible thud. Harry kept up his casual air and sat his sketchbook to the side. Slowly, he met shining brown eyes that were the only giveaway to his curiosity.

"Parseltongue." Harry said firmly. There was no need to beat around the bush.

Silence.

"That's—." Ha! Harry was prepared for his brother to argue so he shut it down immediately with his well rehearsed speech.

"Why is it dark magic or considered evil? I've done nothing to learn it and I've never hurt anyone with it. Maybe if more people knew it then they wouldn't be so scared of it and—-and… why you lookin at me like that?" Severus had a weird, little smile on his face and his eyes looked all gooey and warm. It disturbed Harry just a little.

Severus, meanwhile, just felt very proud of his brother. Despite these three years of relative peace Harry still had a problem arguing and asking for things he wanted. Of course the thing he wanted was to teach Severus something that would label them dark wizards before they did any spellwork. That wasn't really a problem to Severus. The problem for him was the spine tingling _fear_ he felt. For some reason, just the thought of Parseltongue flooded his senses with fear. It didn't make sense when he isolated the thought but something inside him screamed that he avoid it at all cost. Images of burnt bodies and the smell of decay passed by but they weren't memories. Not his memories or memories shown to him. Even the books he's read on the subject did not support the things he thought happened to snake speakers. But it seemed so real to him. The fear, the images, even the smell.

It was illogical. All of it. However, his instincts were rarely wrong. Then again they were ever this illogical and paranoid.

"Okay, you can teach me Parseltongue," he agreed then held up a hand to stop his brother from being too excited, "BUT! You will learn Occlumency AND basic self defense. You don't need to know how to hurt anyone but you should learn to break holds, get away from larger opponents and minimize attacks. Also, you have to continue to keep being a Parselmouth a secret."

"Deal!" Harry shouted, scrambling to his original spot but not the meditate. It was best to get the language lessons started now.

+—

Minerva watched her students file out the door, chattering to themselves and saying their goodbyes to teachers and fellow students alike. She waved until the doors slid closed behind them and continued to stare for a few more seconds. Oh she would miss those stress inducing children until the start of the next year and miss those who had left for good. A wistful smile appeared on her lips. This year's graduation had been absolutely beautiful especially considering the destructive force of both Charles Weasley and Nymphadora Tonks. It was only the treat of a marvelous letter of recommendation that convinced Nymphadora to change her hair from the absolutely _hideous_ yellow she had settled on into a nice golden color. It clashed so horribly with her robes Minerva almost vomited. A quick threat involving calling Molly Weasley had her Gryffindor straightening his act in two seconds but still. Never knew with those two.

Minerva sighed. That was all over now. Nymphadora was going to pursue a career in law enforcement and she just knew that girl would do well and Charles… well, Minerva wasn't quite sure what he wanted to do. He had the talent to go into a lot of fields but the young man still seemed undecided when he accepted his papers. She had a feeling he'd do what he's always dreamed of despite the worry it would cause his mother. Dragons, really. Minerva shook her head and made her way through the empty halls to the Headmaster's office. All of her colleagues had already packed up and left, she would too but she just had to check something really quick.

She felt almost silly for doing this but she just couldn't convince herself to stop. It had become a habit after four years. She snuck into the grand office, still rolling her eyes at the little shiny trinkets that were meant to distract and entertain their students. She remembered the Headmaster before Albus. He was quite the strict man, a bit of an arsehole to be honest but he, at least, didn't show favoritism or treat students like toddlers to be distracted. It was his only redeeming quality. That and his nice butt. Could bounce a sickle off that buttocks. A childish giggle erupted from her.

"Concentrate, you silly lady," Minerva chided herself. She pulled a large, heavy book from the shelf stuffed with many interesting titles and made herself comfortable in Albus's chair. That man really knew his chairs, it was warm and very comfortable. She tilted the book to lean against the desk and rest on her lap and turned to its first page.

 **Class of 1998**

Minerva scanned through the names she would be saying in a short few months, recognizing surnames and groaning at some (another Weasley!? That would be four Weasleys in one year!) but she soon arrived to the name she was the most excited about. A few joyful tears pricked at the corner of her eyes.

"Severus E. Potter," she whispered, not too loud as though the name would disappear if spoken with too much hope. Oh how she just couldn't wait to meet this boy, look into his eyes and see how much a better childhood had changed him.

"I won't have to drag you away from their home this time, will I?" Albus chuckled from the doorway. Minerva jumped, pulling the book to her chest. She glared at the old man for being a sneak but she couldn't hold it long because it was a valid question and she held zero shame in her past actions.

Minerva had tried to sneak off and see him no less than ten times. She had had no plans to speak with him and used her animal form each time. She just wanted to see him with her own two eyes. Albus, being the omnipotent wizard that he sometimes seemed, had caught her each time with some very harsh chastising to lower her ears. However, on her last trip just three months ago, she _had_ seen him. It was just a glimpse in the second floor window but it was enough to drown out the finger wagging, glamoured old man. Severus had been laughing, full on leaned against the window laughing. She almost didn't recognize him without the greasy black hair, over large nose and almost grey skin but that was her Severus. She could feel it. And he was so happy.

"No, no. I am satisfied that they will be here next year," Minerva did wish that she had seen Harry as well but she knew that the protective streak in her Severus was even bigger than that magnificent brain of his. If Severus was happy then so was Harry, she would bet her magic on it ten times over. Oh she could not wait to teach him again! She wiped at her eyes to make sure they were dry before she closed the book and guided it back to its home. She stroked its spine gently, it would be the last year she looked at it. She turned back to the old fool who was her boss, giving him a half glare. He had promoted her to her Deputy Headmistress this year, which made her suspicious but also gave her more work. Such as making sure her Headmaster wasn't lollygagging.

"Have you found a new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor?" She frowned with a raised brow. The last one just sort of… broke. The woman had gone insane for no good reason and went running into the Forbidden Forest like the Devil was on her tail. Luckily the centaurs were feeling benevolent and sent her back with only a few scrapes and bruises. Tied up of course. It was such a pity, to lose such a competent teacher like that. Miss Graham had been an absolute _joy_ to work with and Minerva had hoped to see her in a year or three.

"Indeed I did although I dare say it will come as a surprise who applied for the job," Albus playfully wiggled his bushy brows.

"After who you hired to teach Potions, I vowed to never be surprised again," Minerva said dryly.

"Quirinus Quirrell." Oh. That _was_ a surprise. That man was beyond a coward and had a stutter so bad it was hard for him to even get spells through his chattering teeth. He fainted so often Minerva assigned one of her lions per year to keep an eye on him in class and to cast a cushioning charm on the floor just in case. They also had some smelling salts to use on him as well. She eyed Albus, a feeling in her gut telling her that whatever had sparked that subpar wizard to be interested in that position was the same thing that had caused Albus to agree.

She sighed.

There went any hope that this would be a peaceful year to enjoy with her boy. But at least he was coming.

TBC

Short chapter but don't be fooled. The rest shall be longer. Guess who'll be the Potions professor! Betcha can't. Wink. Wink.


	2. Birthdays, letters, lighthouses oh my!

Don't have me crying in the club you peeps.

Warnings: bad language, violence, harm to children, a kiss between minors (jussa kiss), emotions.

+—

Three.

Two.

One.

"Happy Birthday!" Harry shout-whispered and blew out the single candle at the same time as his brother. Despite the four years he still wished for the same thing: that he and his twin stayed together forever and ever. He was no longer scared that someone would swoop in and take him away but it never hurt to use his yearly wish to beg that it never happened anyway. Harry shoved his half of cupcake into his mouth and handed the carefully wrapped gifts to the redhead. This year he went for brain teasers that would distract his brainy Severus for at least a couple of days. It included a rubix cube that Harry had twisted all around and completely messed up, a sorta math puzzle that some philosopher made, and a set of puzzles from around the world! The last one had to be ordered but the cashier assured him that Severus would be stumped on at least two of the five.

"Happy birthday," Severus admired his gifts for a few brief seconds. His fingers were itching to get started on the colorful cube but it was their birthday so he handed his gifts over. Sometime in their four years of gift giving Severus discovered that he took great pleasure in upstaging Harry with something wonderful that either made him tear up or make this ridiculous, open mouthed surprise face that made his eyes twice as big. With this in mind his presents were a bit more magical in nature. It included a card game he's never seen called Exploding Snaps. Paint used for bringing pictures to life. And, finally, a Golden. Bloody. Snitch.

"Whoa! How did you get this?" Harry gaped, wide eyed and opened mouth at the walnut sized ball. Ever since he cracked the spine on the Quidditch book he had purchased all that time ago he was almost obsessed with the game. He read every magazine that came his way via Severus's last year subscription for him and followed his absolute, favorite teams like a dedicated stalker. There were two that fought for his attention: the Holyhead Harpies and the Sizzling Sphinxes. The former was the only team comprised of all girls with the fastest seeker in the entire British league even though their win record wasn't very good. Harry fancies himself to be a seeker. He's really fast on the ground so with a broom he _has_ to be twice as fast!

"That's for me to know and you to never find out," Severus puffed up proudly, giddily taking in the goofy look of awe, "You won't be allowed to join the Hogwarts team until your second year but I thought you would like to practice."

"C'mon guv, don't keep secrets from us," Nate wheedled.

"Yeah what Nate—NATE!?" Harry yelped. He jerked hard away from the boy and fell painfully from their bed. Nate popped his head over the edge to see the upside down boy, hazel eyes laughing and twinkling. Harry leapt to his feet and eyed his friend who definitely was _not_ there two seconds ago. He looked to Severus for an explanation only to find his brother crouched by the foot of their bed with that large, bent knife glinting in his hand. Harry frowned, very sure that he asked his twin to get rid of that thing! Where did he even get it from in the first place? Never mind that, he narrowed his eyes at Nate. "How did you get in here!?"

"Voooodooooo," he moaned in reply, the word drawn out like a wailing ghost. He wiggled his fingers and widened his eyes for dramatic effect. Harry bit on his lip. This was serious! He would not laugh or smile.

"Hm…" Severus surged forward with his knife into a skinny shoulder only for it to go right through their well off friend. There were two possibilities. The most ridiculous one was that Nate was dead and this was his ghost form. Seeing as he was still colored and didn't have any wounds (not that a lack of wounds meant much) he concluded that Nate was still alive. The second, and most likely the correct theory, was that the boy had used some form of astral projection with his rapidly perfecting magic. Seeing as one could not change what they projected to conscious people (and he was sure he nor Harry had fallen asleep suddenly) then he was very much inclined to believe that this was Nate Khalidi in front of him.

"You know if I was really here, you'd have stabbed me?" Nate chuckled as the redhead climbed back on the bed. Severus shrugged, it wasn't as though his little poke would have been fatal.

"This is so cool!" Harry gushed as he too reclaimed his spot amongst their presents. He leaned close to his friend, baffled at just how real and solid he looked. He could see every fleck of gold, green and even a little blue that made up Nate's eyes. He leaned even closer and his nose went right through the boy like air. So cool.

"Gerroff," Nate's ghost hand swatted at him and did absolutely nothing but Harry backed away anyway. It was silent. Them staring at Nate and Nate staring at them. Harry found that he was okay with this silence, rather enjoyed being in the presence of his favorite brother and his second best friend. But he couldn't help but notice that Nate looked rather… sad. It was only seconds after realizing this that Nate broke the amicable silence.

"My mum has had visions of horrible things happening in Britain and terrible things befalling us if we stay beyond this summer. So we're escaping to her homeland, put our Twi to good use," Nate gave a watery smile. Harry felt his heart try to stop in his chest as the boy's words echoed in his head.

Nate was leaving.

And not for a couple of months but for _years_. Hot tears burned the back of Harry's eyes and he tried to keep them there. Nate was obviously trying not to cry so he could do the same thing but still. He… he didn't want Nate to leave. He had hoped to see the easygoing boy during vacations from Hogwarts but now he was going all the way to _Africa_. Africa! Harry looked desperately over to his brother but the boy had obviously shut down, his face blank and his arms crossed.

"Safe travels?" Harry tried with a big smile. Nate wiped not too subtly at his eyes.

"You'll have to write and tell me if our neighbors lose their minds when our house disappears," Nate said with a wicked grin. Harry couldn't catch his giggle at the thought of all those elite people running like headless chickens after an entire mansion disappeared, "But never mind all that. I have presents for you both!" Nate presented the presents he had been secretly working on since the day he heard of their uncle's abuse. It was sort of illegal considering that the two of them were wizards but, well, he couldn't just leave them with nothing of use. Money could only do so much. Magic was much better.

"What—?" Harry took the surprisingly solid necklace from the brown digits. It was a simple rock shaped like a triangle with a hole in the middle. The chain part was some sort of silky red string that felt strong as he gave it a gentle pull.

"How did you get my hair?" Severus snapped out of his horror of losing a friend (one he had for much longer than he's ever had a friend) to snatch the necklace from Harry. He held up the one given to him to compare it and realized that it must be Harry's hair. But that still didn't explain how Nate got unaltered, fully intact hair from _him_. Severus made sure to not leave DNA anywhere outside this home (and even then he kept it from beyond their room) as it was a powerful tool when considering most kinds of magic. It was a lesson his ma had driven into him every single day.

"I pulled loose strands whenever I hugged you or put my arm on your shoulder," the boy gave a very devious smile. That damn thief, no wonder he was constantly hanging off of him! Severus couldn't launch himself now but he could certainly run to his home and attack him there. He never considered actually harming Nate so he wasn't sure just how well the other could fight but he was sure he could—a warm hand landed on his knee and his attention was pulled out of his thoughts of revenge and back to his friend. His friend. Nate was leaving. Severus hugged himself again, both necklaces clutched in tight grips. Nate was leaving.

"The necklaces are special," he continued as soon as he was sure that the redhead wouldn't try to come find him. Goddesses, he would sorely miss Severus and his looney tendencies. He pulled his hand off the boy's knee, hiding the pain it had caused to make himself tangible. Then he explained his gifts. They were necklaces that many of those with the power of voodoo gave to those they loved. Once they were activated with blood given up willingly it would warm up when the other was in danger. It would also allow them to view where the wearer was through the hole in the middle. He was positive that they could use their odd wizard teleporting with the help of the necklace. But here Nate had to give the warning, "If you attempt to teleport somewhere with wards or under those secrecy charms that stone will most likely break. On the other hand you will likely get through but once the stone is broken it cannot be fixed."

"Wow," Harry gaped. He looked at the innocent looking necklace in Severus's grasp. It could get through wards? At the cost of it breaking, of course but it could still do it! No wonder their magick was such a big secret. He eased his necklace out of Severus's slack grip and lifted it up to the dim light. It was pretty but simple and he thought Severus's hair made a good lace.

"My mum is calling me so I have to go. Happy birthday Harry," Nate leaned forward and gave him a tangible hug. Then the boy turned to Severus and his wicked smile was back. Severus raised a curious brow but he didn't pull away when it was his turn for a hug. He accepted the warmth, felt that he wouldn't cry at the loss and he even smiled when the other pulled back slightly. Instead of immediately leaving Nate pressed their lips together in a soft, sweet kiss.

Oh.

"I've been wanting to do that for ages. Happy birthday, Severus."

Then he was gone.

Severus touched his tingling lips.

Oh.

Harry was the first to gather his brain cells in the proper order and he found himself rather miffed. He and Surajmukhi had been together since they were seven! He really, really liked her and she really, really liked him and yet Severus got a kiss before him. He sent a sour look to the redhead but it soon melted into a smile. The boy sat there with fingers on his lips, eyes stuck where Nate had been.

It was cute.

Harry gathered up all their presents (keeping his Golden Snitch, of course) and guided the shell shocked boy back into bed. He tucked him in and snuggled down into their fluffy pillows.

"So you like blokes?" Harry asked with a tired yawn, peeking at his now blurry brother. Severus remained silent, hand presumably still on his lips… that did it. Harry was going to kiss Surajmukhi the very, very next time he saw her. Right on the lips. He swore to it.

"Hm. I don't know. Never thought about liking anyone but I suppose Nate makes sense," Severus murmured after what had to be hours. The more he thought about it, the more he realized that he _did_ like Nate more than he liked the other boys but not in the brotherly way he loved Harry. Nate was his best friend, kind, smart, funny and aesthetically pleasing. He felt like he knew Nate as well as he knew himself and he thought that went beyond gender. It just took a kiss to realize his feelings. He liked Nate. Hm. But Nate was gone now, possibly forever.

"I'm going to kill him next time I see him," Severus vowed solemnly in the dead of night.

+—

Letters. Dozens—no _hundreds!_ —of letters came pouring in through the chimney, mail slot, open windows. He stared in awe, unable to move. He hadn't believed Severus when the boy said that Hogwarts was persistent, that he shouldn't cry over the letters gone into the fire any time they appeared but here they were, almost drowning in hundreds of letters with their names written on them. All the same crisp, white envelope and red seal in the back. Half addressed to Harry Potter at 4 Privet Drive and the other half addressed to Severus Potter at 4 Privet Drive.

"Read one! Harry. Harry! HARRY!" Harry blinked out of his stupor and saw his brother, face filled with joy and laughter in his voice. He was sure that most of that joy came from the spitting anger that had overtaken their uncle. The man waddled through the letters and snatched his twin, swinging the much smaller body up and away from the mounds of letters. Uncle Vernon was trying to stop them, Harry dimly thought. Severus cackled in the bruising hold, seeming content to just encourage Harry to—oh! Harry dug into the closest pile for his name. Of course the pile he chose was Severus's! He dove away from the swinging arm of his uncle and went for another pile.

"I got one!" Harry shouted, letter in hand. Before he could even get a finger under the seal a meaty hand slapped it away and he was captured. He struggled against the large man but received a hard shake as a reply. The man carried them up the stairs, taking them two at a time.

"If you think you'll be going to that freak school and learn more of that unnatural, freaky magic then you've got another thing coming!" Uncle Vernon raved, kicking in their door. Harry winced at the broken wood, suddenly transported to Dudley's birthday those years ago. But his fear evaporated at the laughter erupting from his twin. It was uncontrollable, not even stuttering when dropped unforgivingly. In fact it seemed to become louder and harder to the point that tears slid down the boy's pink face. After a few moments he was able to sit up and look up into their uncle's beady eyes with a most mocking smile.

"You are a fool if you think you can stop this, Vernon. The letters will continue to come, no matter how you try to ignore them. Eventually they will send a professor here to investigate. What will be your solution then? Turn away a fully grown magic user? You cannot keep us from our destiny, no matter how hard you try and no matter how far you run," Severus said breathlessly. Uncle Vernon let out a wordless roar and slammed the door shut or tried to. He let out another roar as he realized that he had broken one of the hinges in his anger. Harry giggled just a bit once their uncle had left. It had been exhilarating being surrounded by that many letters. He grabbed his Quidditch Throughout the Ages book and settled beside a sporadically chuckling Severus. He guessed they were on punishment now though there was no bolt to keep them there and they would leave should they have to use the loo.

They were called down for a late lunch hours later. Harry cocked his head at the three suitcases standing innocently in the living room. He wondered what they were for but he figured he'd find out later rather than sooner. Now, he was hungry and much preferred to dig into the delicious curry soup he and Severus had left simmering. Surajmukhi had given him the recipe during one of their many phone conversations. It was spicy. And delicious.

"Pack a bag after you're done," Aunt Petunia commanded. Harry chewed thoughtfully on a piece of goat. He felt a little warm. Oh. Uncle Vernon must have taken what Severus said as a challenge rather than a fair warning. He looked to his brother who wore a similar expression on his face but much more amused.

"Dad! I'm grabbing the last three!" Dudley shouted from the living room. Harry leaned forward in his chair to watch Dudley indeed do what he said. Hm, they seemed very serious about this. He drank down his broth, smacking his lips at the delicious blend. He would have to thank Mrs. Nanni for such a great recipe. Uncle Vernon came down the stairs, raincoats draped over his arm and a sort of determination Harry had never quite seen before screwing up his face. Normally his uncle was just angry or hungry or very angry.

The first two years after Aunt Petunia had given him that fairness speech they spent their nights arguing so loud that the walls shook. Well, he was loud. Aunt Petunia just cried a lot. Then he'd stormed out in the middle of the night and wouldn't come back until early morning. It wasn't until a few months ago and a promotion that things seemed to even out with their uncle. He stopped yelling at their aunt. Actually, he went a step further and lavished her and Dudley with almost daily gifts.

Unfortunately their uncle was a naturally angry person so it had to go somewhere and, as they were the only ones left, he and Severus shouldered that burden. He developed the habit of being incredibly rude whenever the chance arose, glaring at them hot enough to melt metal and being mean verbally. It didn't affect Severus whatsoever to the point where it was like the man himself did not exist as more than a plate to fix as for Harry… well, it did hurt his feelings a little. Uncle Vernon was family and, despite having friends who liked Harry a lot, it hurt that his uncle didn't like him even a little.

"You're done? Good. Pack a bag," Uncle Vernon ordered gruffly. Okay, so it seemed that Harry was the only one seeing the elephant in the room. In most cases, this one included, he would follow along with this strange running away plan without so much as a question but what about Severus? What army were they going to deploy to get Severus to not only pack his clothes but to get into the car? The only reason Severus allowed the burning of their letters is because he knew that there would be more.

He opened his mouth to seriously get answers to his questions but the warmth was hotter and it wasn't his flesh but something under his shirt and right against his heart. The necklace. Severus was in danger. He whirled around just in time to see his brother lean sideways and knock down his dishes, food half done. He jumped to catch him but Severus twisted away, knocking down his chair and stumbling.

"Sev?" Harry reached again for his swaying twin. The boy blinked slowly and looked around in a daze as though he had just woken up and wasn't sure where he was.

"Whassshhh…?" His knees buckled. This time Harry caught him, Severus's body a complete deadweight. The redhead slurred something too low for Harry to decipher and moved sluggishly on his hold. Harry turned him around to look into his face to be met with a glare much weaker than any he's ever seen appear in the brown eyes. Severus slowly managed to turn his head in the general direction of their aunt and his face tried to scrunch up in a sneer but it was obvious he was too weak. Still, he managed to work his mouth enough to spit out a single word. " _You_." Then he just… went limp.

"W-what happened!? What did you do to him?" Harry felt as though his heart would pound right out of his chest and his brain felt foggy and he couldn't breathe. Oh, God he couldn't breathe. He hugged his twin's body close to him and tried to draw in air and make sense of something, anything. A hand landed on his shoulder and Harry finally took a breath but it wasn't a good breath. Nothing was good. Not with Severus like this, all limp and frail and vulnerable. Not with another hand reaching, reaching, reaching for the red haired boy. Harry didn't think too hard before he reacted. Severus was hurt or worse and one of the adults here did it and now they were trying to take away his injured twin and he couldn't have that. He had to protect Severus. So he lunged forward and sunk his teeth into the reaching hand.

"Fucking—!" The hand jerked in his hold, tried to pull away but Harry just bit down harder, metal coating the inside of his mouth. He felt something slam down on his head with enough force to leave his ears ringing but he didn't care. He had to protect his brother. He just had to. There was screaming. And hands pulling at him and hands pulling at Severus and then the hand he trapped between his teeth pushed further in and something hit him right in the back of his head and he didn't feel so good. The world that he hadn't been focused on was swimming and dimming and then he lost consciousness.

Rain.

Pounding down on him.

Rocking.

He was in something that was rocking.

Harry groaned as he slowly entered consciousness. He didn't know exactly where he was, just that he was in a tiny boat surrounded by the Dursleys and holding Severus close to his chest. Harry wanted to check on him, see if he had failed but he couldn't hold onto the waking world for longer. He was so tired and his head hurt like crazy.

So he went back to sleep.

"Why isn't he waking? He should be awake by now."

Who was that? Who wasn't awake?

"We're not leaving here until this freaky business is put to rest once and for all."

"But—."

"It was just some rohypnol, dear."

Harry fought towards the voices. Everything felt murky and muddy and he was confused but he knew that something bad was happening and he just needed to wake up. Wake up, Harry.

"He's having some sort of adverse reaction, I'm sure of it. We need to take him to hospital before he slips into a coma or worse. Vernon, Severus could _die_."

Severus. Die.

It was like a rubber band that had been pulled as taut as possible finally being released. Harry sat up, ignoring the pounding in his head and the protest in his tummy. His eyes locked onto his target almost immediately. Severus. On a tiny cot with Aunt Petunia hovering over him, her face all twisted up. Harry appeared between the two with a loud crack, eyes narrowed at the woman and teeth bared defensively.

"Get away from him!" Harry roared. The thin woman scrambled backwards, bringing her bandaged hand close to her chest as though to protect it from him. He didn't care about that, not really. He turned his attention to his Severus, keeping his family in the corner of his eye. Softly, he pressed a hand to the cool flesh of Severus's face. It was slack in an unnatural sleep. Harry didn't see Severus sleep very often but he didn't look like this, not ever.

"Severus?" He whimpered. The necklace was still hot. Danger. Tears burned in his eyes. "Sev?" He gave a pat to each cheek, gentle but firm. Nothing.

"He's just sleepin'. He'll wake up," Dudley spoke from the other side of the room. Harry's head jerked around to look at him, green eyes glowing in the darkness of the corner. Harry felt something in his head strain and he thought that it might be what he would do if Severus wasn't okay, if he didn't wake up. It wasn't anything good, he knew that and it scared him and he thought he should warn them of it. But the words wouldn't come.

Then there was a knock.

Hagrid was a simple half giant with a simple way of feeling about things. Right now he was excited even as he stood in the pouring rain and knocked on a delicate door. Dumbledore had trusted him with a top secret, very important mission. For some reason Harry Potter—wee little Harry Potter who could fit in just one of Hagrid's hands last he saw him—hadn't received his Hogwarts invitations. As he was a very busy man, the Headmaster, he tasked Hagrid with delivering the letter personally. Hagrid also packed up a cake for the lad and he was so excited to see the boy again.

Knock knock. Again. This is the sixth time he's knocked and the sorta wizard was very sure that no one was inside sleeping. Despite the heaviness of the night, it actually wasn't very late yet.

He huffed in frustration and the door came down with one of his more mightier blows. Well, he would fix it on his way out. He stepped into the small room and stared at the shouting muggle with a sort of poker in his hand and held up high. Uncle. He didn't quite remember the name but it was the uncle for sure. He turned his gaze next to the shrill shrieks of the paper thin woman. Aunt. She had a flower name just like lovely Lily. Then Hagrid looked to the boy. Fat, quivering and cowering behind the aunt. He squinted and took a closer look. Well, the face and eyes were all wrong so he was very positive that this kid wasn't wee Harry.

"Where's 'Arry?" He rumbled. Minnie told him that she didn't trust these muggles the very first night they left their wee savior on their doorstep. They better not have done anything to him or so help…

"He's here! The boy—ah!" The uncle pulled forth a struggling little boy. And what a struggle he put up! He snapped his teeth around like an agitated selkie or maybe a hungry Fluffy. He liked it! Hagrid made short work of scooping up the tiny lad, getting a kick that might have broken something if he was way more delicate, and took him in. Glasses (crooked from all the whippin around). Brilliant green eyes (glaring). Hair that not even magic could tame. Scar on forehead. Yup. This was Harry Potter alright.

"Hullo 'Arry!" Hagrid hugged the boy close. Slowly, slowly he stopped fighting, his little chest rising and falling rapidly like a tired bird. He sat Harry down after being sure that he wouldn't keep on going and gave him the biggest smile this side of Europe.

"Who are you? What do you want?" Harry asked warily.

"I'm 'Agrid and I'm to deliver somethin very, very special all the way from Hogwarts," Hagrid pulled out the cake he baked especially for the newly turned eleven year old. Yeah it was about a couple days ays late but he was sure that Harry wouldn't mind too much. Then he presented the Hogwarts letter.

"W-what?" Harry stuttered, looking wide eyed at the items. Hagrid looked too. He thought for a second that maybe he spelled something wrong on the cake but nope. Happy Birthday Harry was written in crooked but heartfelt letters. Maybe it was the letter that had him confused. Of course! He was raised in the muggle world so it must have confused him, all the letters and no explanation. Dumbledore did say Hagrid was to introduce little Harry to their world.

"Yer a wizard, 'Arry," Hagrid announced proudly.

"You're a wizard?" Harry parroted, blinking big green eyes at him.

"Well, er, ya but yer a wizard too." Hagrid thought he had been very clear about this.

"So you can help him? You have to help him!" Harry knocked the letter from his hand and dragged him further in the hovel until he had to bend his upper half just to fit. He stopped at the corner the uncle had dragged Harry from and—was that another kid!? Hagrid lit his umbrella wand and lowered himself carefully on his knees to observe the boy. The boy, maybe eight or nine, was propped carefully against the wall, head allowed to lull gracelessly to the side. Immediately Hagrid knew something was wrong. This boy wasn't sleeping. He was unconscious and barely breathing.

"They put something in his food and he went to sleep but that was hours and hours ago! Sev never sleeps this long and I know he's in danger and you have to use magic to help him. Please!" Harry begged somewhere at his side. Hagrid scooped up the small boy as slowly and gently as he could and leveled Harry with a gentle look that he hoped said everything would be okay. This boy wasn't doing too good and he sure Harry was doing worse. In fact, now that his face wasn't all warped and mean and all the fight had left to be replaced by this frantic worry he noticed that Harry's skin was a bit pale and he shook like a leaf. Something was wrong with him too.

"I don't know nothin about no healin magic but I do know the best mediwitch in all of Scotland," he leveled the muggles with a glare that promised he'd be back even if he was forbidden. In a Very Bad way if this mysterious boy died. Then he quickly lumbered away with the two children.

—+

Things were not right.

Severus could tell that immediately. His head was pounding, his throat was dry and he felt off. There was also a weight and heat on his side, heavy on his chest. A deep inhale as though sighing in his sleep revealed it to be Harry or someone who smelled like Harry. They were in a bed too thin to be their own and in a huge, open space with large windows.

All of that told him that things were Not Right.

"Ah, you're awake then?" A voice—female, older—asked. Severus didn't respond, pretended he was still asleep. "Now, now you cannot fool an old Healer like me. Open your eyes and let me check you over. Come on. Up, up!"

Slowly, warily Severus opened his eyes. He was in some sort of medical bay with rows of cots like the one he was on. No one else was there so it wasn't a clinic like in the little, out of the way villages he and his parents sometimes lived and certainly not a big hospital. That narrowed it down to maybe a school hospital wing. He eyed the woman next. Average size, greying hair framing her face and a yellow sundress with long, flowing sleeves. A matching sun hat say several beds away. She had a kind smile but her eyes were sharp and eyeing him just as he eyed her.

"You must be thirsty," the woman waved her wand and a small cup came flying from a door set along the wall—probably her office—and then filled it with water from her wand. She held it up to his lips. He pressed his lips tighter, his hindbrain telling him bad, bad, bad. Something was wrong. Not with this woman, he couldn't find something wrong with her but the cup. The water. The—that bitch! That devious, abhorrent, shit for brains _bitch_! And her disgusting, cowardly, dung beetle of a husband! They had _poisoned_ him! He let his guard down around them, trusted them to feed him and they poisoned him. For what cause, he was not sure but he would find out and decide just how savagely horrible his revenge would be.

"Drink a bit," the woman tilted the cup. Severus moved his head away, uncaring that the water splashed onto him instead. The woman clicked her tongue in disapproval but she did not try to force him again.

"Who are you?" He rasped, working his throat to bring himself some moisture.

"I am Madam Pomfrey, the mediwitch of Hogwarts," the witch answered. She began to wave her wand slowly and carefully around him. He wanted to slap it out of her hand or run away but the weight of Harry and his own weakness prevented this action. "You were given a… I am not quite sure the purpose of this muggle drug but I suspect you are allergic to it or you were given too much. Either way you are very lucky to have been brought here."

Lucky. Severus scoffed at that. Those bastards poisoned him—almost killed him. He gritted his teeth as he listened to the Healer before him. He would be a little weak but other than things he already knew (he didn't get enough sleep, dehydration, underweight) he was fine. As she finished the body next to him stirred. Harry was awake.

"Sev? SEVERUS! Oh thank you Madam Pomfrey!" Harry gathered Severus into a tight, tight hug. He buried his face into dirty red hair and took a deep, deep breath. He felt like crying when thin arms wrapped around him in answer. Harry had feared the worse these last twenty five hours, even as he slept. He thought that Severus would never wake up, doomed to sleep for an eternity like the princess in his favorite book. But Severus was fine, awake and hugging him.

"It was my pleasure, lovely. Now, I am going to get Hagrid and get back to my vacation. I will see you boys when school starts?" Poppy smiled. She had been rather… disturbed by the blubbering mess of a boy she had first encountered. He had refused to release his brother and rattled off anything he thought was important which seemed to be everything horrible. She still could not wrap her brain around the fact that this boy had been dosed and essentially kidnapped all because of a few letters. What sort of horrid monsters would do that? The same kind that gave a little kid a concussion and hairline fracture on his skull. Poppy had been baffled, horrified and angry at it all. The witch quietly reminded herself that they were fine now, good as new thanks to Hagrid's speed and her own work.

"Yes! We can't wait to see you again—well, not like this but still! Have a fun vacation," Harry waved energetically. Poppy chuckled and made her way out of the room.

—+

"Thank you for your assistance," Severus nodded stiffly to the half giant. At least he was sure the man was a half giant as he's never seen a man so large or a giant so small. He briefly pondered who was the giant out of his parents but found he didn't care. The more important thing was that this man had probably saved his life so he was appreciative.

"Yer sure yeh don wan me ta take yeh two shoppin fer yer supplies?" Hagrid tilted his head in reply. It had been explained to him that this boy was Severus Potter—Harry's twin. Dumbledore must have forgotten to tell him because Hagrid was one hundred percent sure that Harry was an only child and he did only have one letter in his pocket and one cake—he'd never purposely leave a child out—but Poppy had called up Minnie and she produced his letter in only a second. She was also very, very angry but he wasn't sure if it was at him, the Dursleys or Dumbledore. Maybe a combination of all three but a quick peek into the room as the boys sat all dressed up and ready to go had her calming down. She seemed to want to stay and deliver the letter to them herself but changed her mind the last minute and left quickly.

So she knew about Severus Potter so it had to be real and well known. Just not to him. He could sorta see why. The boy was… different. Quiet and… different. It was something about that boy that just made him think of a dangerous, do not touch at any cost type of animal. No, that wasn't right. He really liked those sort of animals. Severus made him think of Severus. Other Severus. And that wasn't a good thing in someone so young or someone who was human.

"We'll be fine. Again, thank you for your help. I hope to repay you someday soon," Severus gave him a small, tired smile. It took away that something different and pulled at Hagrid's own smile. He reached down and, mindful of the delicate, human neck, ruffled the long red hair. That was much better. Looked more like a kid like that.

"Don mention it!" He assured.

"No! Really! You were great and we'll figure out some way to return the favor. I hope I can meet your dog one day too!" Harry jumped and tried his very best to hug the super large man. He beamed as he found himself lifted and buried in a curly, scratchy beard and surrounded by strong arms. He felt more than grateful that this man had come even if they were going back to the people who had hurt them in the first place. It was fine as long as they were both alive.

Hagrid released the wee Harry Potter and gave wee Severus Potter another hair ruffle before urging them both inside. Technically he wasn't supposed to stay as long as he had but he just had to make sure they were both fine and got inside safely in the darkness of this night. He frowned. Safe wasn't the word he'd give for the twins' situation. He promised himself that he'd keep a close eye on the two of them every second they were at Hogwarts. He would have a word with the Headmaster as well. Just to be sure. But for now he jumped onto his bike and drove back to his home.

—+

Severus and Harry entered the quiet house. Nobody was there or they were all asleep and hadn't cooked or at least wipe the blood off the wall. Harry touched the back of his head. That was his blood. From when he was trying to protect Severus. From when he failed. Guilt flooded into Harry and he averted his eyes from the blood. His twin started towards the kitchen but Harry stopped him by grabbing his hand.

"I'm sorry Severus. I tried to protect you. I tried to make sure they didn't move you and they did. They poisoned you and moved us to that stupid lighthouse all the way out there and if Hagrid didn't come you might not even have lived and I'm sorry. You wouldn't have let that happen to me. You've always been better at fighting and I never take it serious and look what happened to you!" Harry wasn't sure when his calm apology turned to wet yells but he was crying and yelling and squeezing much too hard on Severus's hand and looking deep into his eyes. Severus pulled his hand away and Harry was very sure that his heart crumbled into a thousand pieces. But Severus was back, hands on Harry's shoulders to give him a good, hard shake that caused his teeth to click.

"Stop that!" Severus snapped and gave him another shake when Harry tried to speak again. He leveled his twin with his best glower until the tears dried up and the sniffles were silenced. When he spoke again, he did so slowly so that every word sunk into that stubborn brain.

"You are torturing yourself for no reason and without results. You did your best and it was sufficient, perhaps better than I would have done in a similar situation.. Do you think I would have put my trust in some strange giant without hours of questions? I would have tried to heal you myself and might have killed you as a consequence or caused irreparable damage to your organs. You are Harry and I am Severus. We are different as are our methods and that is okay. Do you understand?"

"I… yes. I didn't fail to protect you. You protect and fight in your way and I protect and fight in my way," Harry smiled a bit and wiped his snotty, wet face clean. He felt like he could breathe better, like a weight he hadn't even noticed had been lifted off of his shoulders. Severus studied his face for a few more moments then pulled away to push him towards the stairs.

"You go to sleep now. We have a shopping trip tomorrow."

TBC

Aw man, Imma miss Nate. I liked him but who confesses feelings right before leaving forever? Party Foul and a cause for murder.

Also protective Harry is protective.

Severus is demisexual cause I headcanon that theory.

Until next time, Rock on my little harpies.


	3. Shopping Montage take 2

Warning: Issa long chapter like… it's two chapters in one

—+

"I—um, hello? Excuse me?" A sweet little voice appeared from somewhere behind him. Tom turned around, rag wrapped hand still dutifully cleaning a mug. He almost missed the little girl, she was sort of… plain with pale skin and watery blue eyes. She had long, brown hair that covered her face despite how often she pushed it back behind her pale ear. She looked up at him innocently as she scuffed the toe of her scratched up black boots on the ground.

All in all she was much too young to be in the tavern all alone. Where were her parents? She blushed under his heavy stare, reminding him that she had grabbed his attention and probably for a reason.

"How may I help you little miss?" He inquired, leaning onto his bar with his best kid friendly smile.

"Are you the owner of the Leaky Cauldron, sir?" She tilted her head, hair sliding to stick to her lips. At his nod her face suddenly split into a giant smile. She spun around, hair whipping around her. "Luke! I told you we could do it. Come over!" A boy a bit taller than her stepped from the crowd, his hair just as plainly brown and eyes just as watery blue. He looked nervous, looking up at Tom then blinking rapidly in the other direction. Well, it was obvious to see who was the most outgoing of the two.

"My name is Leia Organa and this is my twin brother Luke! We just turned eleven and we're going to Hogwarts!" The girl bounced excitedly. Oh it just warmed his heart to see someone so young so full of life. The energy seemed to drain a bit as she continued, a frown pulling at her lips, "Our mum—she was a witch—died two years ago. And our dad… well, he's not here either." Here her smile came back but a little hesitant and shy, "So we were hoping that, maybe, you could help us get into Diagon Alley so we can shop for all our Hogwarts stuff?"

Tom would not cry. He was too old to be blubbering in public but it was so damned sad to think that these two tykes traveled all the way to his small tavern, probably by themselves, so that they could shop for their education after their mother died and their father abandoned them. It was tragic, so damn tragic! Stamping down his emotions Tom gestured for the twins to follow him to the entrance. Carefully he showed them the pattern to open the wall, almost crying again as he realized that they would be getting their first wand without anyone to cheer them on. Tragic!

—+

The twins ventured forward through the busy crowd of people, fingers intertwined and a noticeable bounce in their steps. The boy scratched idly at his forehead and was rewarded with a sharp slap that had him hissing in pain and leveling his 'sister' with a glare.

"Leave it alone before you wipe away the makeup," the 'girl' hissed even as her face stayed within the same cheerfulness.

"Sev, is all this really necessary?" Harry pouted. He felt a bit ridiculous if he was being honest. They were only going shopping after all, had done it a hundred times over the years. Sure, this was with other wizards and witches around but seriously? Luke and Leia Organa? From Star Wars? And where did he even come up with these disguises!? He looked to Severus, who obviously had the more elaborate disguise. He was sure he never seen Severus buy this cute green dress or the matching cardigan—definitely not the girly boots (that looked as though they'd been worn often) but here he was, wearing all three of them. He had also put on eye makeup perfectly only to smear it for 'realism'. Then he forced Harry into this brown wig and put so many pins in it Harry was sure he could get into a fight with a lion and it would still stay on. A little bit of makeup was used on his forehead even though the wig had bangs and then the contacts. Well, Harry actually liked the contacts even if they did make his eyes feel a little dry and he blinked a little too much. It was cool being able to see without glasses and now his eyes were blue!

"If you call me that again I'll have you wait in the car with our dear uncle," Severus said in the same honey sweet tone. Harry almost rolled his eyes but he knew his brother was absolutely serious and the last thing Harry wanted to do on his very first magic shopping trip was sit in the car with their very pissed off uncle.

"How did you convince him to take us here _and_ wait?" Harry inquired. He had been sure that they would be walking all the way here or getting Aunt Petunia to do it but it was their uncle who sat red faced and silently fuming in the car.

"I gave a really compelling speech," the boy adjusted his dress and seemed very interested in looking forward. Harry felt a cold knot curl in his gut because that definitely wasn't a good sign but he didn't push. They almost killed Severus after all so it was out of his hands. Harry ran a hand through his wig, careful to leave his face alone but paused as he saw a familiar half giant (or so Severus said) climbing the stairs of their first destination, Gringotts.

"Hagrid!?" He shouted excitedly, dashing up the huge staircase. He really wanted to thank him for the beautiful snowy owl he had gifted him. Harry had been so surprised and delighted by the beautiful specimen that he nearly didn't see the messily written letter she held onto. She had such kind and beautiful eyes and she leaned into his touch like she's always been his owl and Harry knew immediately that she was smart too. Hedwig was her name. The large man turned around at the sound of his name but tilted his head in confusion at the sight of Harry.

"Who are yeh?" Oh, bugger—he was Luke, not Harry! Of course Hagrid wouldn't recognize him with all this stuff. And now he had to figure out how to unblow his cover.

"I-um, well that is to say I…"

"Our mum was a student at Hogwarts. We've seen a picture of you and you look very much the same, Mr. Hagrid. But much bigger in person. She used to tell us how kind and gentle and brave and strong you were. I bet you could lift a dragon!" Severus appeared at his side with a charming smile and fluttering eyelashes. There was now a bright tomato under all that hair and beard. While Hagrid stammered out some sort of reply, Severus dragged Harry up into the bank, quickly telling Hagrid that they were busy. By the half glare being given to him under brown bangs, Harry was quite sure he was in a bit of trouble. Harry huffed. Why were they in disguises anyway? It wasn't like they were superstars or super spies.

Maybe his brother was feeling… feeling… whoa. There were strange creatures at the top of each counter—goblins, his brain supplied. The greedy keepers and protectors of Wizarding gold and secrets. People of all shapes, sizes and colors were bustling around, receiving and giving money. Harry resisted all urge to gape as he and Severus stopped at an empty counter and gazed up at the sorta ugly creature with a frown pulling his lips down and long fingers crossed in front of himself. Was it possible that the goblin thought they were there to cheat them? Because they weren't. Despite the disguises.

"Good morning, may your pockets be heavy with gold. We would like to speak in private with you or someone available." It was really like a switch, the way Severus went from a bubbly girl (with a really familiar voice if Harry wasn't going crazy) to the serious boy he truly was. And it was really effective as the small creature stared for but a moment before a horrible smile showed rows of sharp, white teeth.

"A respectful wizard, will wonders never cease? Come children, let's speak in private. My name is Griphook," the goblin jumped down and Harry most definitely did _not_ gape at how tiny the creature was—no bigger than the average toddler, really. Just with long feet, really long fingers and in desperate need of some sun. They were lead into a nice, if not small office and immediately presented two scrolls and a dagger for each of them.

"He wants to be sure of who we are and to see which vaults we have access to," Severus explained, giving his thumb a quick jab. He allowed a couple of drops to land on the parchment, soaking and disappearing as he popped the wound into his mouth. Harry did the same, though with a wince (because he'd only cut himself purposely one other time and that was for a cool necklace) and watched as words appeared on the paper. There were three vaults but Harry could only see the name of one: Potter vaults. He glanced at Severus's paper and saw three vaults as well but only one was visible to read: Snape vaults. Harry almost snapped his fingers in realization—the heirs before them must still be alive (and Harry was the older twin!)! The current vault holders were a secret so people didn't go around murdering to get vault access sooner. So one of the hidden names must be the Potter vaults for Severus which meant he had someone else's vault while Harry had two other vaults. He wondered just who else they could have inherited from, what secret family did they have floating around. He wondered if they would ever find out.

"Here are your respective keys. Would you like to travel together or separate?" Harry immediately linked fingers with his twin. No way was he going to separate from him in this big, strange place. Severus pulled away though, leveling him with a small smile.

"Gringotts is the safest place on Earth and we have a lot to get done," Severus reminded him. Harry understood. Didn't stop the pout from coming to his mouth or the stubborn set to his jaw. They stared at each other until (would wonders ever cease?) Severus backed down with an eye roll and sigh.

So off the two of them went, following Griphook on a crazy ride through the underside of the bank. The first stop was his vault, well the vault he would share with his brother if it was necessary because that was his brother no matter what. And, stepping inside, it was a _lot_ to go around. Piles and piles of gold coins littered the vault, causing Harry to gape openly. They were absolutely _loaded_! No wonder the allowance inside the magic pouch was so much, there was a literal fortune inside here. There was also a little bookshelf and some jewels and a portrait of a curious looking woman with golden brown hair and warm brown eyes. He threw her a kind smile as he shoveled some of the gold into a provided pouch. She still had a curious air to her but she smiled back and even waved as he left. When he had more time, Harry thought he'd actually talk to her.

Next was the Snape vault. It opened for Severus and, while it had much less gold—nearly a third of it, Severus's mouth still fell open as it was lined, wall to wall and nearly to the ceiling with thousands of books, journals and handwritten notes. Severus carefully stepped around the gold and looked through the texts. Some of these books were older than dirt, some seemed to be newer and most of them radiated with so much dark energy it sent a chill up Severus's spine. A grin spread across his face as he started to pull down titles, flipping through the pages before piling some into his pouch. Next he went to the handwritten notes. Potions. Spells. Things that had probably not been patented yet, some that weren't even finished! All written by one Severus Snape.

"And just who are you to be snooping through my things, you insolent brat?" A deep, velvet voice rumbled. Severus paused in his not-snooping and turned to see a man. Tall, thin with a nose about half the size of his face and crooked to boot. His thin lips twisted into a frown, greasy black hair hanging lank and tangled around his face. He had eyes as black as his potion robes and skin that was almost grey, not helped by the grey stone wall and dim lighting.

"You're Severus Snape," Severus surmised easily. The man sneered, clearly unimpressed.

"Indeed I am. Now answer me, bratty girl. Who are you and who allowed you to put your grubby, sticky fingers on my possessions—on my _work_?" Snape hissed in offense. Severus had to admit that he would be offended too if some kid came and started to steal his things. He had bit off Kento's head just for picking up his precious journal.

"You left your vault to me. I am Severus Potter," he introduced himself. He gestured to disguise, "this is a wig and these are muggle contacts to change my eyes. Girl clothes."

"That is a lie. No, not the disguise you imbecile. Your identity as a _whole_ is a lie. I was to be Severus Potter's godfather but he never drew his first breath. It was a tragedy that hung over Lily until the day she died," Snape folded his arms across his chest and gave a glare that trumped his in every way. Severus would put it down to experience.

"It was an unnecessary heartache, apparently. I am alive and standing before you. Did you not leave your vaults for me? Do you not trust the goblins to get it right?" Severus tilted his head with a bit of a teasing smile on his lips. Goblins never got it wrong, they never betrayed a customer and they never lost a single item in the history of goblins. And if they did it was fixed before anyone could ever know and the perpetrators were dealt with. Severus knew this. Snape knew this.

"How did I die?" Snape inquired, relaxing back against the counter. Behind him was a bubbling potion that would never need attending despite the glance that Snape threw it. Ah, so this painting had been made before Snape died. He wondered why. Obviously Snape had put his magic essence into it so it would have its own thoughts and actions (determined by the real Snape's personality and memories). Ooh, Severus liked a mystery.

"I do not know but when I find out, I will come back to tell you," Severus promised. Snape snorted and the redhead had a feeling he would have rolled his eyes had he been a bit less dignified.

"Come all the way here just to tell a painting something so trivial? Do not be foolish… go to my property. It's the last house on Spinner's End. If you are truly Severus Potter then you should not have a problem entering." With these final words Snape went back to his potion and ignored the look Severus gave him after he snatched up some gold and one more book that made his fingers tingle, leaving all personal notes alone.

"Hey, were you talking to someone in there?" Harry stood on his tiptoe to take a peek inside. Severus paused briefly to think and made his decision.

"Don't be ridiculous," Severus replied. Snape's house would no doubt be dangerous or full of things that would tempt Harry should he follow. He'd keep this a secret for now. "Let's start with our wands."

Apparently Harry and Severus were destined to be difficult boys, both boys thought. They had stood in a long line of children with their guardians and watched as they were looked over then handed a wand that would fit them perfectly. They would then pay and go about on their way. It made the crowd disappear quite quickly and now it was just Harry and Severus in the shop. And Harry was on his sixth wand. Severus on his fourth.

"Oh my," Mr. Ollivander blinked rapidly as an odious, white cloud leaked from the wand. Make that fifth. Harry slapped a hand over his nose at the horrible smell and tried his very best not to gag. That was absolutely disgusting. Mr. Ollivander didn't seem to mind as he waved his own wand and cleaned the air and snatched back the failed wand. Instead of summoning the next box he took a seat on his counter and stared at them. Hard. He tapped his chin and tilted his head this way and that way.

"You two… are _not_ who you say you are," he announced with much certainty.

"What do you mean, sir?" Severus gave a slight, confused frown and blinked his big blue eyes. Harry adopted a similar look.

"I mean that I do not think Luke and Leia Organa exist. Why would two young ones lie about their identity? Wand choosing is very serious business," Mr. Ollivander seemed to scold them. Harry flushed and tried to look offended. He even opened his mouth to defend himself and his 'sister' only for the old man to wave his wand and all the window and doors shut themselves. A bit of a tingle raised the hairs on the back of his neck that made his feel vaguely trapped but Severus didn't flinch so he didn't either. The old man looked at them from over the top of his glasses, "Now, that we have some privacy, tell me who you are."

"We are Harry and Severus Potter. He's a boy and my twin," Harry pointed. Severus gave a nod and his face relaxed from the openness he adopted to something much more blank. Mr. Ollivander leaned closer, squinting as though to see beyond their disguises. Harry considered ripping off his wig or maybe wiping away his makeup but Mr. Ollivander seemed to have gotten what he wanted for he pulled back abruptly and threw himself deep back into his closet.

"A Chosen One and a Lost Twin. Oh, ho I knew these wands would come in handy. Now… let's see…" Mr. Ollivander came back with two, slim boxes. He looked at the boys and held them out then pulled back and switched them. "Yes. Yes, I think these will do nicely for you two." Harry accepted his box first and pulled out the lightly colored wand. Almost immediately he felt a rush of _right_ flood through his veins. It was like chasing his snitch around the room and finally, finally catching it. It was like when he took his first hot shower and stood under the steaming water until he wanted to get out. It was like sitting at the dinner table and eating. It was like when he first accepted Severus was his twin. It was like hearing his mum hum to him whilst he laid in his crib. It was just right.

In the background he vaguely heard Mr. Ollivander describing the wand to him, the wood that was so soft in his grasp, the strange core that not many bonded with and even the length that played some importance and something about having only sold its twin to one other over these number of decades.

"Wow," he breathed. He gave the wand a little wave and big, bursting fireworks shot out, lighting up the store with a beautiful show. Harry felt heady. Harry felt good. He turned to see if Severus was having the same reaction only to find that he hadn't even opened his box yet.

Severus stared at the box within his grasp. His wand was inside, the first and hopefully only wand he would ever need in his entire life. His ma and pa should be here, dressed in their new identities and keeping sharp eyes out for someone, anyone suspicious. They should be there but they weren't. It was just him, in a flimsy muggle disguise without—

"C'mon Sev! Get a move on, I want to see your wand!" Harry jarred him out of his thoughts. Severus looked to the boy, practically vibrating like the day he got his first pair of proper glasses and shook his head. He was getting as bad as Harry with the dramatics. With a deep breath Severus threw the lid off of his box and looked down at the wand. It was long and made with an extremely dark wood, so dark Severus was sure it was black. Oddly, his wand had strange carvings on it, like a cluster of berries or something running down the length. He raised a brow at the wand seller who looked quite eager for him to give it a try.

"Wow," Severus breathed as he finally picked the wand up. He never felt like this when he used his ma's wand. He never felt like this picking up anyone's wand. It felt as though a missing limb he hadn't even noticed gone had been returned to him. It felt like his whole body was just coursing with power and magic and he just wanted to spout every spell he's ever learned or ever read about. He wanted to run out the shop screaming and laughing. This was… this was amazing. Severus gathered some of his sense back to give the wand a wave through the air. A ribbon as green as his dress slithered out to put on a show of twirling and whirling.

"An odd wand, that," Mr. Ollivander commented as he lead them back to the counter to pay. He waved his wand, opening the windows and unlocking the door. "Well, I suppose both your wands are very odd but that one in particular I did not make or have made. It was left here one night, four years ago. I've tried it on all my hard customers but it seems it has finally found a home in you, er, Miss Organa." The currently blond haired twins turned around to see a family coming through the door. A man, woman and girl. The girl, about their age, had a head full of bushy brown curls and golden brown skin. Her brown eyes were full of wonder as she looked about the rather plain store and her lips parted to show rather large front teeth.

"Hello! We were told we could get a, um… wand? For our daughter. My wife and I don't have any magic to speak of—I think someone called us mugless—but our wonderful daughter does," The man, a bookish, dark skinned man with rectangular glasses spoke, seeming rather nervous even with the pride seeping through. His wife, a tanned woman with straight, dark hair and high cheekbones placed a hand on the girl's bushy curls as though to illustrate that this was the daughter they spoke of.

"Oh yes, do come in. I am just finishing up with these two lovely kids. Here you are, Mr. and Ms. Organa," Mr. Ollivander handed them a bag with their wands tucked safely inside. The girl's eyes snapped towards them, her curiosity of the room sated. Her gaze developed the same look he saw Severus get when he started working on his new puzzles. It was a good look for puzzles, bad look for two people undercover.

"Hope to see you in class," Severus waved brightly.

"Oh wait, darlings. Where are your parents? I didn't see anyone waiting outside," the woman stopped them, dark eyes concerned.

"We don't have any," Harry answered with his best air of determined sadness.

"So you're here all by yourselves? That's not very safe," The man frowned.

"Yes and it just won't do. How about you wait for our daughter to get her wand and we can complete all of our shopping together. Will you need a ride home as well?" It was back to the woman. It was like watching a game of tennis with the two of them. A very caring game of tennis. But that wasn't part of the plan. He looked to Severus who seemed to be thinking even though his bright, glossy smile never shifted.

"No, no. You should enjoy your first year shopping together. Me and my brother are very careful and we have an uncle waiting for us outside the Leaky Cauldron," Severus revealed. He inched a little closer to the door.

"Outside the Leaky Cauldron is not inside this Diagon Alley. It would be horribly irresponsible of us to leave you on your own. I think my heart would just give just thinking about Hermione out here on her lonesome," the woman frowned.

"You know, once my wife gets it in her head that something needs to get done, she never lets go. She's a bit like a pitbull," The man half whispered. A small hand gave him a bit of a shove and he made an exaggerated sound of pain.

"Dennis! You did _not_ just compare me to a dog—an illegal one at that!" Even though she shouted and a bit of a blush sprinkled across her cheeks, Harry could tell that she wasn't angry. They bickered playfully for a bit and it was then that Harry noted that the girl had crept her way closer to them. She had a really intense stare, if he were being honest. It made him want to adjust his wig because maybe that was why she stared so hard.

"I'm—." Harry held out his hand.

"It's not fair, what they're saying about pitbulls. My teacher Missus Fraggird had one that she bought to class occasionally and he was the sweetest thing in existence. She's organizing petitions to overturn the Dangerous Dogs Act and she has protests in the works already," the girl cut him off in a matter of fact way. Oh. Harry blinked. The girl turned on her heel and went to the Mr. Ollivander for her wand. Her wand was found within seconds, a beautiful fall of blue gold confetti erupting from her practically white wand. She preened happily under the praises and hugs she received before returning to them with a closed lipped smile.

"I'm Hermione Granger. My mum and dad are Dr. Dennis Granger and Dr. Jean Granger. They're dentists. You don't have to tell me your names right now. Logically, books should be next, followed by necessary equipment and lastly a pet," Hermione shoved herself in the middle of them and dragged them along, her warm fingers lacing with theirs. She was bossy, this Hermione. Harry threw a smile behind the girl's head at his rather vexed (little) twin brother. Yes, Harry very much decided that he liked this girl and hoped that they would be very good friends.

—+

For once Severus was not really keen on the rows and rows of books filling this bookstore, after all he had more interesting books burning a hole of curiosity in his special knapsack. Also, he felt anxious. He wasn't sure why, it wasn't to get a move on to the next store, it wasn't caused by someone looking at them, at least he didn't think so. Severus had been keeping a subtle (he hoped) look out and no one looked over at them more than once or twice. It certainly wasn't the Grangers who inspired such feelings; they practically screamed 'kind, normal, unthreatening'.

"Ow! That book _bit_ me!" Dr. Jean Granger shrieked followed by a thud. Her husband was already making light hearted jokes and loud kissing noises. Severus was quite sure that the book might have developed legs or was simply trying to escape because he could hear Harry was now giving chase and had convinced Hermione to do the same, their feet thudding quite loudly on the wooden planks of the bookstore. He shared a look with the teller. Foolishness.

Severus left his books by the counter, all paid for and under watchful hazel eyes to go find the others. Unfortunately, he happened to be passing a bookcase that another person happened to be rounding at high speeds with book piled taller than their head. They collided, the books went flying everywhere but, more importantly, Severus found himself flat on his back with his wig pins digging viciously into his scalp.

"Ow," he whimpered, forcing tears to come to his eyes. He sat up, careful to pull his dress down and close his legs to pout at the other boy. His hair was blond—almost white with how pale it was but it was matched by his pale complexion and grey eyes. Sharp features weren't helped by the fact that he seemed to have some crick in his neck that caused his pointed nose to tilt towards the ceiling and glare down at Severus.

"Watch where you're going," the boy snapped, rubbing his pointed nose. He seemed to debate with himself but it seemed that some home training had sunken in as he held out slender hands to help Severus to his feet. As soon as he was sure that the other was steady, giving him a quick once over, he started to stack his fallen books.

"I wasn't the one running about in a store like some sort of wild animal," Severus pointed out with an eye roll but still, he decided that Leia was the type of girl who helped boys pick up their books even if they were rude little shits. And of course the rude little shit decided to not be appreciative.

"Do you know who you are talking to, you insolent little girl? Give me those!" The boy spat, snatching his items from Severus's grasp and adding it to his pile.

"I can't read minds, if that's what you mean," Severus shrugged.

"Must be a muggleborn to not recognize a Malfoy when you see one," the boy said haughtily. Severus shrugged again. The only reason his ma and pa ever stepped foot into Diagon Alley was for much needed supplies that they couldn't grow with their constant moving, things that were lost when beating a hasty retreat or things broken during a fight. But, most important, places like the Leaky Cauldron were excellent for gossip. His ma was understandably annoyed by all the inane chatter but working there and other bars quickly taught her that gossip was a powerful tool. Most gossip from the right people held wisps of truth. If the Malfoys were gossip worthy, his ma probably thought it was too unimportant for him to know.

"Watch out!" A voice called. There was an 'oof', a cry and the sound of something heavy hitting something heavier. To his horror a bookcase started to careen right into them. Severus reached for his wand, spell ready on his lips but his wand! His wand was still in the box! He cursed his stupidity and braced himself to be pummeled by heavy, heavy books. But there was no pain, instead he just felt something soft and hard envelope him, wrapped around his balled up figure. There was the sound of books falling all around him, he even heard them hit something fleshy as he was buried. Grunts and whimpers sounded loudly above him.

Oh.

Severus blinked up into the screwed up pointed face. The Malfoy boy shielded him. He let out little gasps of pain and tears had started to fall down his face and onto Severus's.

"Oh my God! Se-Sister! Leia, are you okay?" Harry called out, rushing over. There was a lot of shifting and moving and, finally Severus could see the store around Malfoy's shoulder. He met Harry's concerned blue eyes that turned surprised at the body over top of his.

"Are you okay? I'm so sorry," Harry placed a hand on the platinum blond's shoulder. Malfoy flinched but didn't seem able to unfurl himself from over top of the fake girl.

"I think… I am dead," Malfoy whimpered, eyes still closed.

"No, you're very much alive," Hermione commented dryly as she slowly began to free them even more, carefully stacking the books to the side.

"My sister does look like an angel though. Thanks for saving her," Harry squeezed the other's shoulder, throwing a secret grin to his still prone twin. Finally the blond turned his head, stiffly and slowly and blinked open his wet, red rimmed eyes.

"Mother would murder me if I let had a girl get assaulted right in front of me," The boy said very seriously. Harry immediately broke into laughter which only got louder as he received two heated glares from the 'girls'.

" _What_ is going on here?" A cold, steely voice sucked away any joy. Harry felt the boy stiffened in his hold then he was on his feet, face twisted in pain but he remained quiet and still, except for his hands. Something wasn't right. Harry helped his twin up but kept the new adult in the corner of his vision. By looking at him, Harry could tell that this was his brother's savior's dad or really close family. He could also tell that this man was mean as he stared down at them with a nasty, mean look.

"I-um, I s-saved—."

"Don't stutter like some ignorant fool, Draco," The man sighed in exasperation.

"He shielded me from the falling books, sir," Severus stepped up with a cute smile, tucking strands behind one ear to half reveal his face. He tried to stand close to the Malfoy boy, Draco, but he shifted away as though scared to be burned.

"I was not addressing you, _girl_ ," the man snapped harshly. He took in the scene, looking at the fallen books and how his son hunched just a bit with pain on his face. Finally, his eyes raked over the kids, face stony before settling on Severus, "Just who are your new friends, Draco?"

"Oh my, what happened here? Sir, are you okay?" Dr. Dennis seemed to have arrived. Harry slapped himself on the forehead. They forgot about the guy who knocked over the bookcase! He tried to step around the mess but was stopped as Dr. Jean came running, nearly knocking over the cold man.

"Children—oh, here you are! What happened?" She quickly looked over them, taking special care when she reached Draco. He seemed to be the only one actually hurt. She pulled a moist towelette from her purse and began to gently clean his face from tears. She pushed back his silvery bangs and tilted his chin until his eyes were meeting hers. "Are you okay, poppet?"

"Get your hands off of my son!" The man hissed, finally storming forward. Almost like magic Dr. Dennis was between his wife and the blond man, an easy but sharp smile on his face. He was a few inches short of the other man but stood relaxed and confident.

"Is there a problem?" He inquired softly. The man stared at him, cane clutched in a tight grip as though he wanted nothing more than to beat Dr. Dennis to death but a small crowd had started to gather, including staff. The man didn't even cast a glance around before he finally reached forward and snatched up the hand of his son. He pulled him from the pile of books and right through the crowd of people. The murmuring got louder as one of the booksellers started to wave her wand and whispered spells that quickly straightened out the mess while another adult helped the man who knocked it over.

"I-I am s-s-so sorry! I d-didn't react in e-e-en-enough tim-m-me," The man, a short pale thing wearing a turban with a nervousness around him that caused Severus to be nervous, said. His eyes darted from everyone's face, unable to settle on anyone. Dr. Jean placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, which was hard as they were practically to his ears.

"No, we're sorry. We stepped out for a few phone calls—two emergencies for two dentists, can you believe it?" She laughed. He gave a tense imitation of her laugh and his face was still a bit twisted but his shoulders came down and he seemed to relax minutely, "We hope you're okay?"

"Erm, yes. I am. I j-just are um, a-are y-y-your k-k-k-kids okay? I-I-I'm a teach-teacher at Hogwarts s-s-so I c-can ch-check on on on t-them," The man offered, holding up his wand. Severus flinched back, very much unwilling to have some strange man wave his wand in his face. He caught the eye of Dr. Dennis and gave a firm negative head shake to which the dark skinned man nodded with a gentle smile. Even though he was a muggle, Severus was sure that the man understood why he would be unwilling to have a magic stick pointed at him. It just made sense.

"Oh at Hogwarts? Our daughter will be going to upcoming year. What do you teach?" Dr. Jean inquired as she lead the children away from the scene of the crime and towards the counter with their books ready to be purchased with the exception of Severus-Leia. It turned outS that the nervous man was Quirinus Quirrell and he was the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor which raised even the brows of the muggles. This flinchy ball of nerves who couldn't dodge a run away book was going to teach their kids defense? He didn't look like he could defend himself against a baby. But, the doctors supposed that appearances weren't everything and it wasn't like they just hired anyone to teach classes as Hogwarts was a school. Professor Quirrell stayed with them until they reached the apothecary where he spotted Hagrid walking by. He excused himself quickly and the group was left in peace to shop.

It was going quite well. They had their things required for potions, all their books were taken care of—they even got actual robes! It wasn't until it was time to shop for a pet that things hit a bump. That bump was Severus aka Leia refusing to go inside.

"No," Severus said firmly.

"You've said that already and I counter, again, with why not?" Harry demanded, attempting to pull his twin but Severus really was being stubborn. He dug his heels in hard and shook his head wildly, hair whipping through the air.

"Animals do not like me, _Luke_. You know this." Harry rolled his eyes at the dramatics. That incident wasn't even bad!

On Dudley's most recent birthday the family had gone to the zoo (much to the awkwardness of anyone who wasn't Aunt Petunia) where Harry had a grand ole time in the reptile room. He even had a nice, subtle chat with a large boa constrictor that Harry 'accidentally' set free after hearing his heartfelt story about missing his homeland. Anyway, there was a petting portion for some animals and they, well Harry refused to say that the animals were scared of Severus but they certainly wouldn't come within touching distance. That didn't mean animals didn't like him though. It just… well, erm. Just not that.

"How are you going to pick a pet if you stay out here?" Harry huffed. He thought that he might be strong enough to just bodily lift Severus but… he eyed the heels on the black boots Severus wore. They weren't sharp but they definitely would have him curled into a ball, weeping in pain should they meet any of his fleshy bits.

"I don't need a pet."

"So you want me to go inside a strange store all alone?" Harry used his final weapon and broke out the puppy dog eyes (enhanced by his lack of glasses) and, yes a full on trembling-lip pout. "By myself? With strange strangers?" Severus stared incredulously at his twin, unable to believe that he thought such shoddy, simple manipulation would move him. He was the one who invented the look, after all! There wasn't an adult in the world who wouldn't feel sorry enough to be generous when he bust out that look. And yet… there were tears falling down Harry's face now.

"Oh for the love of—come on you little brat!" Severus growled, stomping into the store. Hermione and her parents had already gone inside and, while her parents chatted with some other adults within the noisy store, she was knelt beside a little cage. Almost immediately the animals on the store fell silent, their eyes and energy now nervous as they either stared directly at him or looked anywhere but. Severus huffed.

"Well then, I've never seen this before. It hasn't been this quiet since I had to take all the animals out for renovations," the handler beside Hermione stated, looking about her store. Another huff.

"I would very much like this cat," Hermione kindly demanded. Distracted, the witch opened the cage and deposited a large, fluffy orange cat with a squashed face into her arms. Harry thought it was kind of ugly but the way Hermione rubbed her face into the orange fur, he knew she'd take offense so he went to his brother. The boy walked slowly down the aisles, eying the animals. Rats pressed themselves into the far edges of their cages, little creatures that resembled hairballs cowered in the corners, cats curled in on themselves and toads simply turned their backs. Not a single animal seemed interested in his Severus.

"Maybe if you feed them a treat…?" Harry guessed, making clicking noises at a black kitten. It was but a round ball that trembled just slightly.

"Animals don't like me," Severus repeated his statement. It didn't bother him, not really. Even with his extensive, perfectly detailed memory he could not recall a single instance in which an animal either came up to him voluntarily, did not attack once close enough or didn't piss itself in his presence. Not even the times he lived in forests. He used to think his ma and pa put up wards but he had a sneaking suspicion that it was his fault that it was so empty around their camp and cave. So, he had long come to the conclusion that no animal would accept him.

"That's poppycock! Here, you just gotta be nice and hold them gently!" Harry insisted. He opened the cage and carefully scooped up the black ball that trembled in his hand. He held it close to his chest and stroked the little head until big, yellow eyes cautiously peeked up at him. Once the kitten began to purr and nuzzle into him, he handed it to Severus.

Big mistake.

As any animal backed into a corner with no means of escape, the kitten went into attack mode. With white fangs it bit into the closest flesh it could see. Although the hand had released, wanting to let go, its claws had tangled into the green cardigan and it dangled for dear life.

"Shite!" Harry shouted, darting forward to grab the kitten. Severus shrieked, much more dramatically than he actually felt but continued to sob even when Harry removed the kitten, hand clutched to his chest. He was actually rather upset that his cardigan now spotted a big tear in it but Harry could do with another craft learned.

"Are you okay!? I've never seen Isabella do that! I am so sorry. Let me see, oh I have some healing salve right here. Let me just… there! Good as new… I hope?" She looked nervously at the cage where the kitten has once again curled herself into the very back of it. It wasn't uncommon for animals to be deemed dangerous then put down after attacking a well off wizard or witch even if it was just a normally docile little kitten. Severus wiped away tears and relaxed into a disarming smile.

"Oh, don't go punishing that kitty for us being stupid!" He waved his newly mended hand, "I just hope Luke here didn't yank her too hard!" This caused the handler to let out a sigh of relief and assure him that Isabella, like most cats in the shop, had a bit of magic so she was tougher than she looked. Severus allowed her to chat for a few more seconds before attempting to slip out of the door. He was stopped by Harry who very much insisted that they had to look around as they hadn't gotten to the birds yet. This time they would be supervised by the witch and not just grab a random animal. Severus wished to break character and drag the stubborn boy back to the car where their uncle was (had better be) waiting.

"Oou oou! Se-sister, what about this one?" Harry ran up to an albino raven. He dazzled at the white feathers, sticking his fingers through the bars without caution. The raven eyed him but obligingly lowered his head to be stroked by tanned fingers. Oh Harry thought he was absolutely beautiful! He waved Severus over and, to everyone's (not Severus's) surprise, the raven yanked away and _hissed_. The current brunette rolled his eyes and moved on to the only other bird. It was another raven, a large one that seemed a little too big for his cage but it was so sick that Severus was sure it didn't notice. A lot of its feathers had been plucked out, probably by its own beak and it laid limply at the bottom of its cage. It had no name. Just a little card that let people know this pathetic thing was, indeed, a raven.

"We found this precious girl on the street with a broken wing and not a single will to live. It's a miracle just to get her to eat but she gets weaker as time goes by. It may… we may just have to put her out of her misery," the handler placed a hand on Severus's shoulder. Severus looked up at the witch, her sad, watery green eyes fixed on the sick bird. It was obvious that she had been debating such actions for a very long time, her love of animals stopping her but it was also obvious that the bird was not long for this world. Severus leaned in a bit closer until he was eye level with the creature.

"If I take you home and heal you… will you attack me?" Severus asked softly and quite seriously. The bird just barely turned her head to look at him, her bottomless, dark eyes coming through a slit. Being a bird, she could say nothing but Severus got the feeling that she was agreeable to his plan. He'd heal her. Or she'd die in his care. Either was better than her just laying there, waiting for the ax that another was too weak to lower. He straightened up and nodded to the awaiting witch, "I'll take her and a few recipes for animal healing draughts and a list of recommended books. Please." He adds the last word with his prettiest smile.

And that's how he ended up with a smug Harry and a sick bird in a crate along with some other things to buy. It's quick work in the bookstore but Severus met a familiar face in the apothecary. Draco Malfoy. The boy paused as they made eye contact, his head whipping back and forth. They were alone, Severus having sent Hermione and Harry to look for his potion ingredients while he held onto his new pet. And Mr. Malfoy was nowhere to be seen.

"I am sorry about earlier," Draco apologized in a way that sounded as though he's never had to utter such words. But he met Severus's eyes and kept his shuffling to just his feet. "My father… he's been a little tense ever since my godfather died. They were best friends even though Uncle Sev was his complete opposite." Sev? Severus reigned in any burst of curiosity and convinced himself to go slow. For one, he didn't even know if Sev was short for Severus. What else it could be short for, Severus was sure that there was something he just couldn't think of. Plus there was the case that there could be other Severuses in the world. He rolled his eyes at that one. He wouldn't bad mouth his mum or ma but Severus was definitely not the most subtle name in the baby books.

"Were you close with him? I know he had to be something special to be made your godfather, your dad just seems the type." Draco puffed up with pride as though he ha been the one complimented.

"Severus Snape was the _best_ godfather in the entire world. Youngest potions master in the last hundred years, understood magic better than people who dedicated their _lives_ to it and he taught me everything he knew before he, uh… died." A sad look darkened the boy's pale face.

"I'm sorry to hear about the passing of such a brilliant, talented man. Do you mind…? How did he…?" Severus cursed himself almost immediately. He pushed too hard or too fast or too something because the blond's face seemed to shut down and he took several steps away.

"As I said, I apologize for my father's actions. See you at Hogwarts."

Then he left.

TBC

Yeah. So Severus got attacked by a kitty. And it was Harry's fault. Smh. Dammit Potter

Sorry I'm late and will be late in the near future. I've had a spot of surgery with some minor complications.


	4. Sneaky, Stupid, Secretive Secrets

Harry was… suspicious. Of his brother.

He was sure, with a great amount of certainty, that Severus Tobias Potter has been lying to him for some time now. No, that wasn't true. Severus mostly just lied by omission. The thing that had Harry suspicious was not lies but secrets. Yeah, that was a much better summation! Severus Tobias Potter, his own flesh and blood twin had secrets!

Harry looked at the boy casually reading his book at the dinner table (he refused to eat a single morsel within the home but didn't stop Harry though now Harry wasn't to cook for the Dursleys either). Occasionally he would look up to casually glare at their aunt when she opened her mouth in his direction (maybe to apologize for the thousandth time) or casually tell their uncle to bugger off but not in so little words. As soon as he finished his last bite, Severus slammed his book hard enough to cause both their uncle and aunt to flinch and he casually went up to their room. Harry followed after, ready to solve the mystery of the secretive redhead.

"Do you need a handwritten invitation or an oral one?" Severus didn't even look up from his book, this one different from the one he just had and one that Harry was sure he's never seen. Another secret! Well technically not as Harry had noticed all the books in that vault and only Merlin himself could have stopped Severus from pilfering such items.

"Have you been keeping up with your Parselmouth lessons?" Harry asked, wandering to their dressers to change into his pajamas.

"I do not slack in any academic category," Severus responded then proceeded to prove his statement with some heavily accented parseltongue that… really wasn't that bad. Harry really didn't know why he was still impressed with his twin and his ability to catch onto things so quickly. Or the fact that he had secrets! Secrets! From him! Harry smiled to push away his indignation.

"Just try not to space it out so much or do that weird… tongue thing," Harry advised.

"I'm a snake," Severus replied as he flipped his book page. He did a weird hissing sound and flicked his tongue, dragging a laugh from the other. Harry jumped onto their bed, tall enough to not have to scramble anymore. He gave a quick look around for his Hedwig, not surprised to see her missing. She hunted at night as any other owl did but twice as much as she seemed concerned for Severus's raven and was on a clear mission to fatten her up. Speaking of which, Harry spotted Severus's raven sitting on her standing post, doing her favorite activity: staring at Severus.

The bird was a little weird in Harry's opinion. She didn't mope around like when Severus first got her but she wasn't exactly lively either. Her feathers were growing back very slowly so she couldn't fly just yet so it seemed that she settled on spending most of her waking hours just staring. Solely at Severus. At first Harry had thought he was being paranoid but he spent an hour moving Severus all around the room only to be followed by dark, beady eyes. So yeah, she just liked to stare at her owner, hardly ever blinking but not in the way that other animals did. She wasn't scared of him, in fact she seemed to enjoy his touch. She drunk whatever potion (another secret!) Severus made without fuss and she would balance on his shoulder when he thought she needed a bit of sun. So she was a good pet just weird as a walking fish.

"You should name her. We can't call her Severus's bird forever," Harry yawned loudly. Severus lowered his book and met the bird's watchful eyes.

"What do you think of Bob?"

Harry snorted.

"Vacuous," Severus's bird replied. The green eyed boy choked and whipped his head towards the female. Good goodness he had forgotten that domesticated ravens could pick up words. He couldn't imagine the handler in Magical Menagerie using such an insult so it must have been her last owner. The one who abandoned this huge bird.

"See, she does not like the names I suggest. Until we can compromise she shall just remain Severus's raven," the redhead shrugged. Harry rolled his eyes and yawned once more. Then he rolled away from the small reading lamp (Severus had stopped pretending to sleep about a year ago) and closed his eyes.

It was around midnight when Harry felt movement. He had spent the hours just laying there, sighing and breathing softly with only minor movements as though he weren't quite comfortable. It seemed that he had fooled Severus enough because the boy was doing his suspicious activity. He heard Severus get up, rustle of clothes as he changed into something else then slipped on the emergency escape shoes. Harry waited exactly two minutes after their bedroom door closed to hop up and do the same thing. He hesitated for only a second in a debate on whether or not to grab his wand. Severus often told him to never leave without it but he didn't know any spells anyway.

"What for?" he muttered, leaving the magic stick where it lay. He entered the night air just in time to see Severus turn a corner.

Okay, time for the stalking to begin!

Two hours later Harry was wishing for the stalking to stop. Harry had employed every trick Severus ever taught him, mostly keeping a very huge distance from him and walking as softly as possible. He spent a lot of the time pressed against buildings and peeking around corners but still. Two. Hours. It probably would be less but Severus would pause to rest and drink some water or eat a little bar of something. It was smart. Harry wished he had thought of that.

Another five minutes of walking and the neighborhood suddenly took a turn for the worse. Almost immediately Harry had to slap a hand over his nose as a sorta stench stained the air. He couldn't place it, was sure he didn't even want to but god it was rancid like the time when the Dursleys went on a vacation but forgot to empty out the fridge. They blamed it on Harry but he was only three at the time and had spent the entire vacation at Miss Figgs. Vacation, he wondered when he'd ever go on one. He wanted to know what the ocean was like, all that sea breeze and warm water. Not like this disgusting air that seemed to cling right onto his skin and seep into his pores. This place was absolutely filthy and there was nothing more that he wanted than to fly right out of here. If only he had a magic broom—magic because an unfortunate accident brought to his attention that not all brooms could fly. Harry wanted to fly though. He wanted to fly fast—faster than any seeker in the world, ever. Harry was pretty good at catching his snitch when it's let loose in the house but he couldn't risk it outside without the power to fly. How would Harry survive his first year at Hogwarts with a big, open quidditch field so close and yet unable to play until next year? Well, he suppose he'd just go to every game held ever and root for whichever team had the better players.

Harry turned off the shower, changed into his pajamas and got into bed. He closed his eyes and started to drift into sleep. Then he was awake again. What happened? How was he back home and in the bed? When did he decide to shower? Harry looked at their clock. Just after three in the morning which meant he got home faster than he followed Severus.

Severus.

Harry glared at the empty spot. Of course he had something to do with his secretive twin. He had to have distracted him with magic or something. Well, if he thought a bit of magic would stop Harry he had another thing coming. Harry yawned and plopped back down.

Tomorrow though.

—+

This time Harry had prepared himself while Severus was outside with his weird raven and the rest of the family did whatever they did. He wrote a note on his hand (Follow Sev), packed a little wizard satchel to carry a couple of water bottles and a baggie of granola. Then he followed Severus into the night. The route he went this time shortened the walk to an hour and a half and they were right back in the horrible neighborhood.

Once again Harry had to cover his nose at the foul stench that stained the air. It was worse than rot. All plant life was still dead, making Harry wonder just how anyone could possibly live there especially when there were cats and dogs that looked wild enough to kill someone for no reason running around. Plus most of the houses looked as though people couldn't possibly live here.

"Whaddo ya fink yer doin' comin in so late? Ya out dere bein a fookin slag, are ya?" A gratingly thick cockney accent assaulted Harry's ears. It was followed by what could only be described as gibberish. A girl came stumbling from one of the more put together homes dressed in a dress that he knew would have appalled his aunt. Her face was twisted up in anger, all red and wet with tears and smeared in makeup. She took one step and her heel snapped, sending her tumbling to the ground. Severus kept walking but Harry felt so bad. She was just a teenager, way too young to be kicked out at this time of night. Harry let Severus get much further ahead of him and knelt by the girl, placing a hand on her warm shoulder.

She flinched and looked up at him with big brown eyes that reminded him of Surajmukhi. When was the last time he talked to her? In all the excitement from Severus and him getting kidnapped, their school shopping and now this, Harry was sure he hadn't called her in forever. She was in India last time he spoke to her, shooting a spy movie but she also said that they were really close to being done It was so cool she was a actress. He wanted to show her his drawing of her. He had finally completed it, complete with watercolors that he thought captured her to the best of his abilities. He had thought about using his special paint but decided against it as he didn't want to freak out her grandma. She was a nice lady, Surajmukhi's grandma. She and the twins taught him Hindi until he was nearly fluent and Miss Nanni would often not speak any English around them. He wondered what was going on with Chameli. She had cut her hair so very, very short and she never wore dresses or bright colors and she didn't really talk to anyone but her sister and Severus now. She hardly talked to him anymore.

Harry stepped out of the shower and into his pajamas. He was going to call Surajmukhi tomorrow as soon as he woke up. Harry laid down to sleep then immediately swore and sat back up. Again? How did he fall for it again? He looked at his hand, the useless note washed away in his shower. How was Sev distracting… distracting. Harry looked up at the ceiling, laying back on his back. The first time the air smelled so bad that he got distracted and could only focus on that and then this time it still smelled bad but he got distracted by that girl being kicked out of her house. Severus didn't seem to notice any of it or he used his power of indifference to its full potential. That had to be it. He had to ignore any and everything.

"We're gonna get him next time, Hedwig," Harry whispered to his pale bird, not wanting to awaken the still mostly bald creature beside her. Hedwig opened one golden eye and gave him a soft hoot of encouragement.

Yeah.

He was going to catch Severus red handed.

—+

"You're leaving for what!?" Twin voices shouted into the phone, nearly loud enough to awaken the still sleeping house full of Dursleys. Harry felt himself sweat. Oh no, how did he forget that he had forgotten to tell any of his friends that he going away to a magical boarding school?

"I thought I told you that I got accepted into Hogwarts?" He tried, not quite sure if he did or not. He did remember mentioning that the school existed and that, more likely, he and Severus would be attending.

"Harry James _Potter_!" Surajmukhi started, her accent thickening as she went, "You know very well that you never told me that Hogwarts was a boarding school in _Scotland_! Scotland!" Harry winced, tangling his fingers into the curly cord of the house phone.

"I'm really, _really_ sure that I did. At least once. I'm sorry, Mooki. I really am. A lots been going on here. Severus was drugged and—"

"Severus was what!?" Harry winced again as the half secret reached the ears of the more elusive twin and Harry was sure that was _not_ a happy screech Chameli just let out. He cursed himself for saying that but he had promised (even just silently to himself when he was like five) that if he ever, somehow made friends that he wouldn't lie to them. He had crossed his heart and everything. So this was unavoidable but still. He quickly whispered what had gone down a fortnight ago, trying to make it seem not that bad but he was sure that Surajmukhi was trying very hard to not cry. He followed it up with the lighter topic of their cool disguises and their shopping trip which pulled a couple of laughs from the girls especially the part about Severus fighting him about the pet store.

"Is he… are you guys okay?" Chameli asked hesitantly. Severus chose that moment to walk in, bird on his shoulder.

"Ooh look, it's Severus! Here, how about you talk to him?" He hailed the redhead down and handed him the phone. "I told them about the Incident." Then he ran off to prepare for tonight.

—+

Five nights.

 _Five_ nights he's been tricked one way or another into coming back home, taking a shower and getting into bed like nothing happened. He's tried writing a whole passage on his arm and just staring at it. He's tried ear plugs and nose strips. He's even tried closing his eyes but that ended up with him smacking into a tree _on his way back home_! So yeah. Harry was pissed. He was very pissed.

Enough that he emitted sparks through the air that startled Hedwig and caught the attention of his sneak, secretive Severus. The boy tilted his head curiously from where it was tucked between his knees and a silent question drifted towards the fuming boy. To which Harry just fumed some more.

"Are you excited for Hogwarts?" Severus inquired, adjusting his position to something Harry was sure was called king pigeon or or something stupid and sneaky.

"Yeah," he grunted. There was only a week left before they went off to the school and Harry but he was too irritated to be excited. A part of him wanted to shake the answer out of Severus and another, smarter part of him wanted to figure it out on his own.

"What's wrong Harry?" Severus uncurled himself to look at him with his sneaky, concerned brownie eyes that hide secrets from his own twin. More secrets than the basic ones. Harry wondered if he could bargain with the boy. Tell the truth about his ma and pa and his past or tell him what he was doing at night. But he would likely lie or only tell half the truth or twist it in a way that doesn't sound like a lie but most definitely wasn't the truth either. A cold hand cupped his cheek and he found Severus close to him, frown drawing down his lips. "Did someone do something to you? Was it that muppet? I'll pull the rest of his teeth out. I am done warning him."

"What if we're in different Houses?" Harry blurted out. It was a valid concern of his (also did Severus just imply he took their uncle's teeth?) and it seemed to throw Severus off of his trail.

"What does that matter?" Severus pulled back to return to his mat now that he didn't have to plan out a revenge.

"Well, we could have different classes or be in rival Houses or lose contact all together. I don't want to be separate from you," Harry worried his bottom lip.

"Don't be silly. I'll break into your common room to spend time with you. Or I'll force the Hat to put me in your House. Whichever is less tedious." Severus's said it with such a calm and casual air (as though he hadn't just proposed trespassing) that Harry almost missed the second part.

"You can force the Sorting Hat?"

"My ma said that she was supposed to be in Ravenclaw but she asked it to reconsider. She never told me why but she preferred Slytherin." Sometimes Harry was a little jealous that Severus had such vivid memories and stories about the people who raised him as long as they could. But other times he realized that, though Severus was loved, he lived in constant paranoia. He had to fight and scrape nearly every day even if he made it seem like it wasn't that bad. Months of living in a cave? Going off with one parent and meeting up weeks later? Never keeping a single friend? That wasn't a good existence in Harry's opinion. And the lies. Eileen and Tobias wasn't their names. Their faces wasn't theirs. Maybe even their stories weren't either.

"Would you keep secrets from me?" Harry fiddled with the bedsheets.

"Only ones you needn't worry yourself over," Severus shrugged elegantly.

"I wouldn't keep secrets from you," Harry pouted.

"If it brings you any consolation I probably won't lie to you once you find out the secrets. This isn't an encouragement to go digging though," Here he received a warning look. Harry nodded with his best innocent face. The warning look turned more serious, "I am serious, Harry. Don't go sticking your nose where it doesn't belong especially without knowing any defensive spells."

"I heard you," Harry understood quite well what Severus wanted. He wanted him to keep digging but with his wand in his possession. It made sense.

—+

This was the night.

He was prepared.

Harry rubbed some vaporub under his nose (the overwhelming medicinal scent caused his eyes to water), put in heavy duty ear plugs, put two papers in the corner of his glasses so his peripheral vision was gone (like horses!) and he had his wand in a grip tight enough to inspire some sparks. He kept his distance as usual but he was sure he knew this route like the back of his hand by now. He munched idly on a handful of raisins just as they reached the edge of the sneaky, magic street.

It must have smelled bad. The lady must be screaming at someone. The trees were probably still dead and the feral animals were probably still feral. But none of that mattered, he couldn't see, hear or smell any of it. Nothing mattered but Severus. Severus who was stopping at a house, the only one other than that first one with a street lamp in front of it. It looked as though a giant fire had swallowed it whole, leaving nothing but bare bones that couldn't possibly be safe to enter. A strong gust of wind would blow the bundle of sticks over! Still, Severus didn't pause as he entered the home. Harry breathed deeply in his nose and prepared himself. He had made it. He was going inside this house. Was he prepared for what he would find inside? What if it was something so horrible it would melt his brain? What if it were something like… like…

"No!" Harry growled, a pulse of light coming from the tip of his wand as he stopped his body at the top of the block. He almost fell for it again! Harry ran as fast as he could back down the block and to the very last house and charged up the charred remains called stairs and right through the door.

And into a sitting room. Not like a burned outline of a sitting room but a real one with two wingback chairs set in front of a small fireplace. And books. So many books. On the wall, on the mantle above the fireplace and on what might have been a coffee table but was probably just more books. Harry carefully moved around them, not wanting to knock down what had to be Severus's dream room.

"... Usual," a voice drifted from upstairs which meant that was where Harry needed to head. Slowly, like a silent ninja he crept up the stairs, sliding his feet to not cause any creaking.

"He will eventually make it through the labyrinth if he is as capable as you claim," a deep, melodious voice said.

"As you have said multiple times. Do you think I am hard of hearing?" Severus. That was definitely Severus.

"You insolent brat. You may not be hard of hearing but you are a naive fool to think that you have even the slightest, microscopic chance of keeping this secret. Do you _truly_ believe the very second his name is called that people won't immediately swarm him? Are you stupid?"

Oi!

"Nobody calls my brother stupid! You're stupid!" Harry shouted as he rushed into the room. It was a strange, mad scientist looking lab that was so brightly lit that Harry had to squint. The room was almost completely white from the ceiling to the floors with the only color being the different bottles, phials and vials lined along the walls. Severus sat on one of the counters besides a huge, black cauldron. His body was twisted slightly, lips pursed as he glared at Harry. Behind him was a tall, scary looking man with a curtain of greasy black hair and a crooked… Romanesque nose. Harry knew this man from somewhere. Thin lips twisted into a scowl and it clicked.

"You're Snape!" He almost accused, "I saw you in pictures with our mum."

"You look just like your despicable father. At least this one got the good genes from Lily," Snape sneered. Harry stomped forward, ready to fight because his dad was _not_ despicable. His dad was a brave wizard who died protecting him and his mum and—.

"You're a painting!" Harry stopped short.

"Just as observant as him as well. Blind, imbecilic prick the lot of you Potters," Snape rolled his eyes.

"Harry, go home. Now," Severus interrupted his rebuttal.

"But—." Severus jumped from his perch and grabbed Harry by the arm, not hard but tight enough for Harry to know that his brother really didn't want him there.

"No, you did not think this through at all and I am disappointed in you. For a week you've traveled in the dead of the night to some unknown location despite—."

"Severus. Edward. Potter!" Snape suddenly growled, cutting off the redhead's tirade that was (unadmittedly) causing tears to burn in the back of Harry's eyes. Both of their heads snapped towards the painting to find the tall man glaring down at them, his features twisted in disapproval.

"I—." Severus started but the look Snape gave him clearly said that continuing on would bring him nothing but trouble. It was a look that Uncle Vernon tried for but mostly looked constipated and it never worked on Severus… but apparently Snape was better at it. The boy pressed his lips together and bowed his head, all energy leaving him. After Snape was sure he would not be interrupted, he turned his shining black eyes towards Harry.

"Potter, you and Severus will adjourn in the den _immediately_ ," Snape ordered and left, sure that they would not disobey him. He was right. Severus dropped his arm and turned on his heel, presumably to obey.

"Sev, what's going on here?" Harry demanded.

"I was trying to protect you," Severus answered quietly. He fell silent as they descended into the book filled room, now lit gently by a roaring fire. Severus climbed into one armchair and Harry in the other. Snape entered the room via the portrait above the fireplace, dropping elegantly in a regal, high back chair. He folded his long, spider like fingers onto his lap and observed them.

"All Hallows' Eve, 1981."

"Don't!" Severus tried to interrupt but another well placed glare shut him up.

"As I was saying. All Hallows' Eve, 1981 your mother and father were murdered by a Dark Lord as I am sure you are aware?" Harry nodded. Snape copied the motion and continued, "I suppose no one has told you why?" Here Harry shook his head. Snape gave Severus a Look that the boy turned away from in defiance. Harry wanted to question that but he had a feeling he'd get a Look too so he but settled in to listen to the silky voice. "Voldemort was rising in power, slaying his enemies and spreading his hatred like a wildfire. One day, one of his foolish followers brought to him a prophecy. This prophecy declared that a child born at the end of July from a family who defied him three times would be his downfall. There were two who met this criteria. By mere chance he went for you and your parents. He cast the Killing Curse on you, a spell that has no known defense but rather than killing you, it was he who was defeated. So you were dubbed the Boy Who Lived and hidden away to spare you a life of constant scrutiny."

Harry touched the scar on his forehead, the rune for protection, powered by love. But it didn't just protect him. It caused him to _defeat a murdering Dark Lord_! That was bonkers, almost impossible to believe. He was like a wizard Jesus. A wizard. Jesus! He breathed in once, twice then thrice. He looked over to his twin to see him gazing in the fire. Severus knew. Had known. And he kept it a secret from him.

"Why did you keep that from me? That's my life!" Harry snapped.

"I was trying to protect you," Severus repeated his earlier claim. Harry breathed out hard through his nose and tried to not get angry. He wasn't angry. Not that much. He was mostly hurt.

"Sev, just tell me how long you've known."

"I…" Severus bit back what he was going to say, perhaps a bold faced lie, "Miss Figg is a spy for that old man. She was watching you, constantly. It was how he knew to come and contain that Spectacle." 'That Spectacle' being the time when Uncle Vernon had tried to kill them. Harry felt the spit in his throat get caught. They were seven back then. That long? "I discovered her spying the rainy day they locked me outside. I threatened to expose her to you and thus to that old man—she won't tell me his name. She showed me some news clippings with you and told me the prophecy… I realized that this Dark Lord would come back, they always do. I also realized that only you were and would be his target. So I thought I could protect you by letting you have your Hogwarts fun without worry. I would just teach you useful attacks and defenses while also gathering all the information that I could and protecting you from the shadows."

"I don't get you Sev. I never have," Harry pinched the bridge of his nose, "You're always trying to protect me like you're my guardian or something. You're not my dad. You're not some ancient God or something. You're a kid just like me. For God's sake, Sev! We're twins. We're brothers. We're the same bloody age! I can handle stuff too! And if you're off protecting me then who is protecting you?"

"Harry, you deserve—." Severus started hoarsely, his eyes shiny.

" _I_ deserve what? What about what _you_ deserve? You think because you grew up with a ma and pa on the run and you're used to some bloke trying to kill you that you don't deserve some fun too? Or do you think I can't handle being the same way?" Severus opened his mouth but no words came out. Good. Let him be speechless. Harry glared for a good handful of minutes, arms crossed over his chest.

"I'm sorry." Harry felt like the anger had been knocked right out of him at the two simple words.

"What?"

"I said…" Severus stared hard at the ground then, slowly, looked up at him, "that I am sorry."

"I… er, wait. Why are you sorry?" Harry demanded suspiciously.

"For keeping secrets." Harry groaned and pulled at his hair. He knew it. He just knew that Severus had latched onto the beginning of his anger. For someone so goddamn smart Sev was so goddamn dumb.

"It's not just secrets—it's you thinking you have to shoulder everything on your own. You deserve to be carefree just as much as anyone else! Just promise me you'll tell me when things are wrong and not try to fix everything on your own or protect me by yourself, okay?" Harry pulled the smaller boy into a hug. Severus was stiff against him, arms at his side so Harry just hugged him tighter until Severus got the message that he wouldn't let go. Not without a promise. Finally Severus went limp and buried his head against his neck, a suspicious dampness landing on his shirt.

"I promise," he relented.

Good.

TBC

Okay! Next chapter we're finally going to HOGWARRRTTTTTSSSSSS! I really didn't mean to take this long but this is a journey. A ride that I appreciate you all for joining me on.


	5. All Aboard!

They were running late. Somehow. Harry himself had been waiting by the door with his trunk for the last half hour. Severus's raven sat atop it while Hedwig had gone ahead without them. Severus, from what he could tell, hadn't gone to sleep at all and spent the night getting everything ready. Harry was certain that half the books he packed weren't exactly allowed when Severus kept taking them out and putting them back in. That wasn't a good sign but not enough for Harry to actually care. His brother would get away with it, he was sure.

Harry looked at the watch Kento had gotten him for his birthday. It was a really cool one with a Batman logo. And it told him that it was 7:35. Seven. Thirty. Five. Severus said the train left at nine! If they couldn't make the train did that mean they could buy brooms and fly there? They'd need quick lessons but if that's what it took then Harry, the ever sacrificing wizard, would do it. He wondered if they could beat the train on brooms. Ooh that would be a fast broom.

"YOU ARE NOTHING!" Harry groaned as their uncle shouted his nasty words for the sixth time. He was in a right foul mood. Harry wondered if something didn't agree with him on his dinner plate last night. He had been ranting and raving since Harry got out the shower at six and probably had been doing it longer but whispering to his wife. She'd probably turn on them soon. She already got convinced to foolishly poison Severus of all people. Well, he suppose that Severus would have literally murdered them both had they poisoned him instead so perhaps they still had some sort of brain function.

"I've noticed that your appetite hasn't decreased despite the changes we've made but I suppose nothing but death could stop you from eating." Harry groaned even louder. Why did Severus have to be so harsh about everything or even respond to the walrus of a man?

"Severus! That was _very_ rude. Apologize!" Aunt Petunia demanded. Harry scoffed and rolled his eyes. She must have bumped her head or something equally as damaging to think she had any say in anything that involved… well, either of them really.

"The fact that you have the _audacity_ to even address me by name speaks only to my foolishness of not getting my pound of flesh from the two of you simultaneously but worry not, Petunia. I will remedy that after some research." Harry _knew_ that Severus had dodged his question when they were in Diagon Alley. Compelling Speech his foot! But what had Severus done to their uncle, should he even ask? It was probably something horribly nasty, more than the alluded teeth pulling. Harry was sure that he really didn't want to know. "As for you, _Vernon_ , drink your potion, get your keys and let's go. You've wasted enough time."

Harry straightened as he heard light thumping down the stairs, Severus of course. The redhead gave him a dazzling (fake) smile and walked over to his bird.

"Let's go raven of mine," Severus cooed gently, holding out his arm. She obeyed him, carefully climbing onto the limb then slowly moving up to his shoulder. He gave Harry a once over as though he expected him to have not been ready as though Harry hadn't been ready since forever ago! But they were going to be on the move again. He was excited. He grabbed his trunk but Severus slapped his hand. "Vernon will grab it."

Harry wondered if he should put an end to this. Uncle Vernon was obviously miserable and angry. He spat and cursed the whole ride though careful to not say anything directly directed towards them. With a single look from Severus the man got out and arranged their trolleys, tying them down all proper and careful like. But they did poison him, more than that they violated a trust that Severus didn't particularly even want to give them but he did. But he had his revenge now, hadn't he?

"Erm… see you in the summer Uncle Vernon?" Harry gave a hesitant small smile. Uncle Vernon sneered and the words that were about to come out, Harry could just tell they were rude but the man paused, his eyes on something not him. Harry followed his line of sight directly behind him and directly to Severus. The boy was waiting patiently, his face completely passive and looking somewhat away from Harry's gaze which meant he had definitely did something messed up. Harry turned back to see their uncle huff and stomp away, hopping into the car and driving away.

"Severus…" he sighed.

"Harry…" Severus repeated in the same tone. And the same voice. Harry shuddered, not sure why Severus wanted to know how to mimic other people's voices. It was creepy. The girl voice that Severus had utilized during their shopping trip had been Susan's, a generally sweet girl who talked a lot. It was weird, weird enough that Harry was sure he wouldn't ever get used to it.

"Don't you try to distract me. I think… Severus, whatever you're doing to Uncle Vernon has to stop now. You've had your revenge," Harry started inside the train station. Severus gave him a look from the corner of his eye that clearly said that Harry was almost an idiot. Just almost.

"I gave him his warning. I told him what would happen four years ago. Four. If I do not destroy him he will not learn," Severus sniffed delicately, giving a few strokes to his raven's head.

"You said that you would get him arrested," Harry reminded in a low tone as they walked past a couple.

"Did I?" Severus hummed as though Harry would believe for even a single, microscopic second that he would forget such a thing, "I suppose that's why my lessons aren't sinking in fast enough. I will endeavor to try twice as hard to give him the feeling of being inside a prison. Thank you, Harry."

Harry groaned but decided that this was a battle for a later day. Maybe when the summer holidays came around as there was no doubt that they weren't coming back if they didn't have to. Harry fished out his ticket to look for the terminal. Odd enough it said 9 ¾ but even _odder_ was—

"Eleven in the morning!?" Harry squawked. He whipped his head to look over at Severus who suddenly found the bird on his shoulder to be very interesting. "SEV! You said nine. It's eight in the morning! We're three hours early!"

"Does it say eleven?" Severus squinted at the paper being waved in his face. "Oh. It does." Harry's mouth moved wordlessly as he wasn't quite sure what he wanted to say but he was thinking of something and it was something loud and dramatic and oh, Severus was going to wish he never woke him up so early.

"Haaaarrrryyyy!"

"Severus?"

"Harry, are you here?"

The Potter twins froze, identical frowns pulling down their lips as they looked for the source of the familiar voices. There, meters away were the Ahuja twins. Harry still marveled sometimes at the changes in Chameli. Her hair was cut in a style similar to his own, ruffled boyishly. She also wore more boy clothes too. Not like tomboy clothes but clothes from the boy rack. If Harry wasn't her friend and knew it already, he would have thought her a actual boy.

Surajmukhi, meanwhile, looked as stunning as always. Her hair was even longer now and allowed to flow freely, wild and unbrushed. She had lost the roundness to her cheeks and gained height but so had Harry, enough for him to be just slightly taller, so it was easy for the girl to throw her arms around his neck and give him a wet kiss right on the lips. Harry's eyes widened under the warmth filling him and strange stars going off in the back of his head. His eyes were still big when she pulled back, tears falling from her dark eyes.

"Harry, I'm so glad we found you. I thought you were going to leave without saying goodbye and I know you'll write but that's not the same!" The girl laughed wetly. She tried to pull further away to wipe away her tears but Harry stopped her with a wide eyed look. She laughed again and wiped at her face, her hands nearly hitting him they were so close.

"That was brilliant," he breathed, blinking rapidly, "Can I have another?" She nodded and pressed their lips together again, a fast peck that had those stars exploding and warmth filling again.

"First Nate and now you. I'm losing people I can talk to," Chameli complained lightly.

"You are not losing me just yet. I will write you faithfully and do as much research as possible to help you feel complete," Severus promised with so much passion that Harry had to turn his head in curiosity. The two were standing close, heads bowed until their foreheads practically touched.

"Don't spend all your school time on me. Have fun and make sure Harry takes a lot of pictures!" Chameli demanded, turning her head to give Harry a warning look.

"Yeah and make sure some can be put out in the open—I don't want to hide you two!" Surajmukhi poked him in the chest.

"Why don't we take one before we get on the train?" Severus suggested easily. Harry almost smacked himself in the head, of course they could take a picture! He turned to his trunk to grab his trusty camera while Severus approached the nearest adult with his nicest tone and biggest eyes. "Excuse me sir, can you please take our picture? It's really important."

"Oh sure, kid," the man smiled back.

+—

Ronald Bilius Weasley, youngest son from the famed Weasley clan and predestined Gryffindor was royally miffed. Every single car he came upon was completely filled with other students. It seemed impossible but as he opened a door and was greeted by his brothers—for the fifth time!—he knew he wasn't crazy. Ron groaned loudly and pressed his head against the edge of the door.

"Aww Ronnikins, still can't find a seat?" Fred warbled mockingly. At least he was sure it was Fred, he was usually the one that started the teasing.

"Want to sit on my lap like when you were a wee baby?" George continued, making a show of patting his legs as their friends burst into peals of laughter.

"You mean last week?" Fred laughed, elbowing his twin. Ron felt his cheeks burn. They weren't lying but dammit, it wasn't like an everyday occurrence. He had been sick with a small fever and he had just got done vomiting so it was not his fault that he thought that the person who grabbed him was their father. He had been confused!

"You guys are total prats," he stuck out his tongue childishly and slammed the door closed with as much force as possible. Just as he started to stomp off to the next compartment (which he already knew had no room for him) he heard a small, almost silent voice.

"I-um, hey. Have you… I lost my toad, Trevor. Have you seen him?" Ron turned to see a chubby boy with flat brown hair, big ears and dark eyes who seemed as though he wanted to cry. He held a little bag of… dear Merlin were those worms? Ron didn't jerk away because he was scared of the wriggling insects. No, he jerked away because that was just plain _gross_. He started to snap something mean to the boy but he took another look at that face and realized he couldn't do it. Merlin, the kid would probably start crying then and there if he did.

"No, I've been busy looking for a carriage to join," Ronald sighed, running a hand through his hair. It wasn't like he had anything better to do, "but I'll help you look until I find one."

"R-really?" The boy's face broke out into a shy, small smile when Ron gave a confirming nod, "thanks. I'm Neville! Neville Longbottom."

"Ronald Weasley."

With their combined searching powers they were able to locate the wayward toad in a little more than an hour. Ron thought he was quite the cute, ugly bugger after searching for him so long and hearing all the hilarious stories Neville had to tell. Speaking of which Neville wasn't so bad either now that he didn't look like he was going to cry. Of course Neville was kissing a toad every couple of steps so that was still weird.

"Ahh!" Ron tripped over a girl suddenly in his path. They went down in a tangle of limbs and hair. A lot of dry, curly hair that was somehow in his mouth and nose and also tangling around his very person. "Ow, ow, ow!" A fist pounded rapidly at him as he tried to yank away with said strands still stuck between his fingers and along his wrist.

"Stop hitting me!" Ron snapped, trying to untangle the bracelet he wore from the hair it was stuck to but that was hard to do when _being attacked_ , "If you combed this mess then this wouldn't have happened."

"If you had watched where you were going then you wouldn't have knocked me down like an oaf!" The girl hit him a few more times once they were fully separated with the help of Neville. Being the nice bloke he seemed, the brown haired boy helped up the girl first then Ron. She was okay to look at, Ron supposed but he got the feeling she was also one of those prissy talkers just by the way she straightened herself and leveled him with a nasty glare.

"Why were you loitering about anyway?" Ron groused.

"I was not 'loitering' as you so rudely claim. I was looking for a cart to share when you attacked me," The girl huffed. Ron started to sputter out a defense but was stopped by the girl lifting a hand to silence him, "I suppose you two were doing the same as every other car seems to be full. I found that quite odd and had considered squeezing in with a group of six and being uncomfortable then I did another walkthrough and I noticed two things. One, I became quite thoughtful around this area or antsy or I had the incredible need to pee. And, the more obvious, there is a cart missing. See?" She pointed at the numbers on the door. And she was right. There was number fifteen, sixteen, eighteen.

"Where is seventeen?" Neville muttered, looking at the perfect seam where a compartment should be.

"It's here. Hidden to our eyes by magic and a Notice Me Not. I read a brief excerpt on them while reading about Hogwarts. Theirs targets muggles and is extremely powerful. I believe this one will—ah. I knew it." The was suddenly there albeit the curtains were drawn. The girl grinned triumphantly and grabbed the door handle. "I had a theory that if a few people stood here and concentrated through the Notice Me Not that it would break—at least for us."

"Yeah, yeah. Congrats on solving the mystery," Ron muttered as he pushed her hand away and opened the door himself. He only made it one step before he found himself going cross eyed due to a wand being aimed directly at his nose.

"What do you want?" Ron was sure that he heard a baby crying, dogs barking and fairies dying with just those four words. It was like icicles had formed down his spine, causing his heart to pound and his neck hair to stand. Ron slowly dragged his eyes from what would certainly be the wand to kill him and to—

"You're just a kid!" Ron blurted, stunned to see a boy probably his age (or younger as he was a tiny thing) with pretty wine red hair and big brown eyes. Honestly, he could pass for a legit Weasley if his hair was a bit more orange… a Weasley girl. The wand moved from between his brows to under his chin as though sensing his thoughts and pressed hard into his flesh.

"What of it? Leave," he spat. Ron nodded and tried to back away but was stopped by the girl who gave him a gentle shove forward.

"Everything else is full!" The troublesome girl protested as though she didn't see that he was going to _be murdered_! Killed by a loon before he even made it to Hogwarts. His luck was just rotten.

"The floor of the corridors are empty," the boy growled.

"Sev…? Who're—Sev! What are you doing!?" A voice demanded from within the compartment. Ron tried to look at the source but a growl from 'Sev' stopped him. There was shuffling and something fell over. "Where are my glasses? Sev, you better not be hurting someone over there."

"I am not. I was just letting them know that we are full," The boy answered in a sweet voice though his face never shifted from the snarl. It was creepy.

"Full of what? It's just us and your bird in here. Oh here they are. Severus Tobias Potter! You let them in here."

"Potter?" Neville and Ron echoed at the same time. The boy rolled his eyes and his wand disappeared up his jumper sleeve. He backed away to allow them full access but Ron stopped again as he caught sight of the second occupant. Another boy but this one with bright green eyes, glasses and wild black hair with its bangs clipped back thus displaying the lightning bolt.

"Holy—you're Harry Potter! You've got the lightning bolt and everything." Ron gasped, eyes going as wide as dinner plate, "Bloody brilliant! The Boy Who Lived."

"Are you a celebrity?" The bushy haired girl asked absently as she stared at the loony waving his wand and muttering. It was ridiculous to think he was actually doing something as he wasn't even a first year yet but if he wanted to pretend then who was Ron to burst his bubble? But her bubble? Oh Ron was going to burst that.

"Are you a muggleborn or have you been living under a rock," He demanded.

"The former," she answered, transfixed by the boy and his fake wand waving. Her and the extremely weird… bird? Was that thing a bird with only half its feathers? Ron found himself staring at the avian as hard as it stared at its owner (the redhead had to be the owner because the bird was as creepy as him).

"Then that makes sense. Harry survived being hit by the Killing Curse when he was just a baby," Neville answered kindly. This seemed to draw her attention and break the spell Ron had fallen under.

"Yeah from You Know Who. He's a dark wizard who was so feared that people stopped saying his name. There was a prophecy out there that said Harry could defeat him and _he did_. As a baby!" Ron waved his arms excitedly.

"Hearing it like that was fun," the boy in question piped up. Ron did have the decency to blush especially when he remembered that the night Harry survived, his parents had not.

"I'm sorry. I just… I didn't think you were really a real bloke, y'know? I'm Ronald Weasley but call me Ron," Ron introduced himself.

"Nice to meet you Ron. This is my twin brother, Severus." Harry grinned, grabbing the boy around the shoulders and pulling him close.

"Twin?" Neville tilted his head in confusion.

"Fraternal, obviously," Severus sneered. Neville flinched under his glare and diverted his eyes to his weirdly quiet toad.

"W-wait. No, I didn't mean… I know what… um. I'm Neville un L-Longbottom," Neville trailed off.

"Oi! No need to be like that. There was nothing in the papers about Harry having a twin," Ron defended the shy boy, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Severus knows that. He's just grumpy," Harry pet the sour lad on the head and was treated with a look that clearly stated that if Harry wasn't family Severus would have bit him just then. "He'll warm up to you guys in no time. Nice to meet you Neville. And you are?" The dark haired boy turned his attention to the only girl in their group.

"You know me already. We met in Diagon Alley," Hermione pointed out, "you had brown hair and blue eyes and he was a she but I never forget a face."

"Er, I don't think you have the right persons," Harry chuckled. Severus looked completely uninterested, nose buried in a book.

"If you would like to pretend I don't, I will oblige. I am Hermione Granger," she held out her hand.

"He doesn't shake hands," Harry explained when she was ignored by the redhead. She dropped her hand and gave him a nod instead.

"So what House does everyone want to be in?" Ron asked excitedly, "My whole family's in Gryffindor and it's the best House so of course that's the one I'm going to be in too."

"I want to be in the one with the best Quidditch team," Harry shrugged honestly.

"You like Quidditch?" Ron gaped.

"Ugh," Severus sneered, shutting his book. He stood on his seat and dug around a bag until he pulled out two long, warm looking cloaks. One he folded into a pillow on Harry's lap and the other he threw over himself, head and all. "I'm going to sleep to drown out this idiotic chatter."

"Just admit that you wanna sleep," Harry teased, resting a hand on the lump of twin on his lap. He was promptly ignored. Harry laughed and looked back to his fellow first years. "He had started to doze with me but then Hermione disturbed him with her poking around."

"Oh, I am so sorry. I didn't mean to wake him," the girl whispered.

"No, no. You needed somewhere to sit and I'm glad you did. He was being irrational—ow!" Harry jumped suddenly then he glared down at his covered twin, "You pinched me!"

"Go back to talking about Houses and Quidditch. Keep me from your discussions," Severus was no doubt sneering.

"I-I guess I'd be in Hufflepuff…" Neville murmured.

"You don't sound too happy about that," Harry noted.

"Because it's the lamest House in existence," Ron explained with a chipper tone.

"Why would you say that? There is nothing 'lame' about being a hardworking individual who values kindness and fairness. It would be an honor for any one of us to be in that House," Hermione said hotly, her dark eyes practically glowing.

"That is literal rubbish," Ron announced brightly, "and you're probably a Know It All Ravenclaw, anyway."

"Any House that's not yours will be fantastic," Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Does anyone know which House has the best Quidditch team?" Harry interrupted. Here Ron turned a strange shade of pale much like one would describe sour milk.

"Slytherin has got the Quidditch and House cup for the past eleven years from what my brothers say. I bet those prats cheat," He grumbled. He looked around to several raised eyebrows and jumped to his feet, pacing the tiny space the five shared, "They're evil! Sneaky little snakes where the bad apples land. They're so bad that they don't even have a Head of House. Keep killing them, I bet."

"Killing…? Aren't Head of Houses professors?" Harry tilted his head.

"Yeah! And they're usually someone from that House but none of the teachers are Slytherin which makes sense. Why would you have such a bad lot in school? They only had one Head of House from Slytherin and that was four years ago. He was the nastiest of the nastiest. He took points off of anyone who wasn't a Slytherin. He threatened to poison pets if potions weren't made correctly. Someone even said he had the Dark Mark—that's for people who follow You Know Who. Professor Snap, I think his name was."

"Was?" Neville whispered, a slight tremble to his voice.

"Yeah. Was. One day he just up and vanished. Right in the middle of a school year, four years ago. They say that he went searching for his old master but others say that his snakes turned on him and buried his body at the bottom of the Great Lake so that they could look up and see him floating."

"Is there any evidence to these claims or do you just want to scare poor Neville half to death?" Hermione raised her brow. Ron opened his mouth to take up for the courage of his new friend but the boy _was_ trembling. He felt a little guilty.

"I mean… he was a Potions master so they couldn't poison him so I doubt students _actually_ killed him BUT the Slytherins are still evil, slimey cheats who can't keep a Head of House. And are evil. They are!" Ron insisted at the dubious looks he received. "Just look who came from there. Malfoys are Slytherins. So was practically every dark lord in existence—including You Know Who! It's something about the color green and silver that just turns out bad eggs. Fact."

"You are ridiculous," Hermione scoffed.

—+

"Severus, it's time to wake up…" Harry sang gently and a little reluctantly. He liked to let Severus sleep as much as he could because he hardly did it at all and couldn't be persuaded to go to the doctors to find out why. But they were almost to the school and still out of uniform. He sang his waking song again as a way to tease his brother and show their new friends that he wasn't all that prickly. Neville at least looked relaxed even if his toad didn't. Harry had a suspicion that Severus was trying to be that evil hermit kid with no friends and Harry found that just plain unacceptable. He would show the soft, kind side of his twin until everyone wanted to be his friend.

"Seeevvviiieee," Harry pulled back the cloak. He was met with highly unamused brown eyes.

"Have your new friends left?" Severus half muttered, wanting nothing more than to pull the cloak tighter around himself and bury himself closer to his twin. He rarely slept but when he did it was sometimes the best thing ever.

"Nope! We're still here," Ron leaned over him so close that Severus could count practically every freckle. The carrot top smiled down at him with his tie dangling around his neck and brushing across Severus's face. He met the blue eyes as calmly as he could.

"Is this the location you wish to die? Is that the tool you wish me to use?" Severus slowly reached for the tie, keeping eye contact. Ron let out a gasp and practically threw himself across the room and, thus, out of choking range. Good. He wasn't a complete idiot. Severus sat up then, throwing his cloak to the side and nearly hitting his sleeping bird who glared at him for a second before snuggling back down.

"He doesn't mean that," Harry assured (lied) quickly. Severus buttoned his shirt slowly and regained eye contact.

"I do."

—+

TBC

I did it again and I apologize. I try to get straight to the point then I get excited and BOOM! I'm 4000 words in and still on the train. Sigh. It's a curse I must accept. But we've now got the Golden Trio! With two side pieces. Lol. Can you imagine Sev being a side piece? In MY story? Good laugh. Like maniacal.


	6. The Sorting

Holy. Spice Girls.

Harry gaped at the Great Hall. The name didn't do it justice in his opinion, no picture or book description prepared him for this. It was spectacular, beyond his wildest dreams and then some! Being here, in this castle, would be a great thing in Harry's honest opinion. He turned excitedly to his brother but paused at the outright _fury_ twisting his features.

"What? What's wrong?" Harry whipped his head around to try to see the problem. They were all sat on the floor, a blanket thrown down so that they wouldn't get their uniforms dirty while a speech was made by the Headmaster. At the moment he was warning about the Forbidden Forest which sounded like somewhere they weren't supposed to be just going off the name. But never mind that. There was something wrong with his brother. Severus caught his hand in what he could only describe as a 'death grip' and seemed two seconds from exploding. Violently.

"It's him. That old bastard who found me. Who erased the memories of our attempted saviors. Who has been _spying_ on us! It's him," Severus spat between clenched teeth, body trembling in his suppressed rage. Harry's eyes snapped to the old man who Severus had to be talking about, the Headmaster. He was the only one who they could see at this angle but it just didn't make sense.

"Dumbledore you mean?" Harry whispered in confusion. Severus had to be mistaken because the man was a legend and practical saint. He wouldn't believe that Dumbledore of all people would keep them in that Hell, it was unbelievable. The redhead jerked away from him, snatching his hand back as though it had been burned and nearly slapped a girl behind him. Then he was practically on top of Harry, pressing their foreheads together and staring him deep in his eyes as he hissed his next question.

"How do you know that man?" Harry wanted to look around to make sure they weren't being noticed but Severus had that loony look and no one given that look ever faired well. Harry was only 95% sure that he would be the exception even if he did do something wrong... but he wasn't willing to test it.

"He's in the book. Hogwarts: A History. You made me read it cover to cover!" Harry reminded quickly before Severus got any ideas about him being a spy of some sort or plotting against him. Severus frowned as he pulled away from his twin. Only a very small part of him thought for a single second that Harry and the old man conspired together but it was quickly shoved away because it didn't make sense but at the same time neither did Harry's actual explanation. Severus read Hogwarts: A History front to back with his ma and he hadn't forgotten a single bit of text. And that old fool was _not_ in it.

"Who is he?" It felt awkward on his tongue to ask for information that was apparently common, burned something that he was sure was his ego. Harry blinked in surprise and then beamed as he did during their parseltongue lessons. He liked to share his knowledge to the point that Severus wouldn't be surprised if his twin became a professor in the future… after being a professional Quidditch player.

"He's Albus Dumbledore. He's like the oldest wizard alive right now. Back in the day, before the prick that killed our mum and dad, there was another dark wizard causing a mess and Dumbledore single handedly stopped him. Like by himself just defeated this guy that the whole Ministry couldn't touch. He became Headmaster here like… thirty years ago? And he's been doing great. It's stated that Hogwarts is doing very well with him as Headmaster. Top grades, highest graduation turn out AND most knowledgeable students in Charms, Transfiguration and Arithmancy," Harry felt almost out of breath when he finished. He watched as the words were simultaneously soaked up quickly and slowly digested by his brother.

"And you are sure this is all in Hogwarts: A History?" Severus tapped his fingers on his lips. Harry nodded then shook his head.

"No. I thought it was so cool that he defeated a dark lord like that so I bought a book on that war," Harry reached over to tap a seemingly half sleep Ron. He didn't blame the boy as the short speech seemed to have turned into a lengthy monologue.

"Huh? Whatzit?" The boy jerked, blinking his blue eyes rapidly. Harry giggled a bit and gave him a friendly shake to bring him into full awareness. The redhead yawned and absently gave Harry's head a tired pat. "Hellu, Harry. Is it time to get sorted yet?"

"No. He's still talking but I wanted to ask. Who is he?" Harry pointed to the Headmaster.

"Who? Dumbledore?" Ron tilted his head then seemed confused at the rapid nod Harry gave. Once he realized that his new friend was serious he looked absolutely scandalized and he whipped around to face the twins. "He's like the greatest, most powerful wizard since Merlin. He defeats dark lords for breakfast! He's in like every history book ever."

"Including Hogwarts: A History. It was a requirement to read it?" Hermione sniffed delicately, looking over her shoulder.

"Ew who reads that thing? I got something much better. Just… hold on…" Ron dug around in all his pockets before he came out with a card. Obviously a collectible and with Dumbledore on it. "Here you can have this one. I got like twenty of him." Harry elbowed Severus until the boy slowly, almost shyly accepted the gift.

"Thank you," he nodded, studying the card. The Dumbledore on it smiled gently, eyes twinkling away. How did he not know about this man? How was he apparently the only one who did not know this man?

"Can you lot be quiet? I'm tryin—." A boy a bit behind them started to complain. Severus came up in a crouch, teeth bared and eyes blazing with his anger at his own ignorance and anger at having his thoughts disturbed. The boy flinched, eyes diverting to the side and body turning slightly away from the obvious danger. Severus continued to stare at him and would have kept at it but the Sorting Hat was brought out and apparently the old rat excited Harry enough to pull him back down.

"It's starting!" Harry squealed. Severus rolled his eyes and tried to keep down the small grin his twin's happiness always caused. He even allowed himself to be rocked to the Founder's song.

"Abbott, Hannah?" A stern looking witch invited a chipper looking blond girl up. The hat just barely went on her head before it screamed out Hufflepuff. With Great Effort Severus pushed away his questions and suspicions, pocketing the card for later study, and concentrate on what was meant to be 'fun': Sorting. The crowd was already being thinned. Which was odd. His ma and books (though now he questioned those texts) said that Hogwarts took in about two hundred students every year without fail or trying. Sometimes three hundred. However, looking around at his fellow first years, Severus quickly deduced there were a hundred students if he was being generous. More like seventy five if he were being honest.

"Potter, Harry!" Ah. It was Harry's turn. Severus quietly accepted the tight hug Harry bestowed upon him then watched as the boy jumped to his feet and practically ran to the rickety stool.

It was his turn! It was his turn! If Harry was a dog his tail would have wagged off. He beamed up at the witch, taking in her look of slight surprise before the Hat was lowered upon his head and he sunk into darkness.

"Hello Mr. Potter," a deep voice welcomed him, brushing gently over the surface of his mind. Harry embraced it immediately and smiled even wider if that were possible.

"You talk!" Harry kicked his feet joyfully.

"Of course I do. How'd you think this worked?" The Sorting Hat chuckled.

"No, no. I mean you're talking in my head. I can feel it," Harry explained. The brushing came to a stop as though startled then continued on. It actually tickled a bit.

"Oh ho? Not many people can tell such a thing. Clever boy."

"It's the meditating that my brother has me do. He's trying to get me to build up shields and stuff so I guess you'll have a hard time sorting him. He won't let you in," Harry warned. It was more likely that Severus would come up here and just demand a House than let anyone into even the top layer of his mind.

"A first year? You think a first year's gonna stop me? Color me doubtful."

"Well you haven't met a first year like my twin." Harry shrugged. If the Hat didn't believe him then he was happy to know that he did all he could to properly warn it.

"Indeed I haven't but this isn't about him. It's about you. Harry. James. Potter. I see in your future greatness beyond your wildest dreams. I see hardships. I see heartbreaks. But most of all I see that shining greatness. It's so bright, this future of yours. One House will bring you into this light. Just one. My question is which of our Houses will bring you to your fullest, best self?"

"The one with the best Quidditch team." Harry shrugged.

Silence.

Then laughter.

"My, my you are a unique kid and very charming, me thinks. Do you really not care which House I put you in? There won't be punishments in wanting one." Harry shrugged again, why would he care what House he joined? It seemed so unimportant in the grand scheme of things, how was whatever House he joined going to affect his future? It sounded like a heap of rubbish. The only thing he could think about in regards to importance of House was the people who would be around….

"I would really like to go to whatever House my brother goes into but he's after me. He'll probably be in Ravenclaw cause he's so brilliant but he's also the bravest person I know. And the most cunning. And the hardest working."

"You really admire this Severus, don't you?"

Harry took this time to lift the Hat and peer into the crowd. All eyes were on him, so intense he was sure that some of them were holding their breaths and nearly falling out of their seats as they waited. They all wanted him in his House. He was Wizard Jesus after all but Harry didn't spare a single glance at them, there was only one pair of eyes that mattered. They were a warm, gooey brown like Miss Figg's brownies.

Harry waved.

"We're talking about you!" Harry revealed.

"You are taking too long! Talk faster," Severus replied dryly but he couldn't hide the pink dusting his cheeks, not from Harry. With a thumbs up he fell back into darkness.

"That was so sweet I think I'm going to vomit," The Sorting Hat said dryly. "Well. I guess I should get on with it. Let's see. Let's see. How about Hufflepuff? Yes, yes. It's about time the brightest star come from such a deserving House. It will work you hard and nurture this kindness and devout loyalty. HU—GRYFFINDOR!"

"Huh?" Harry's lips pulled down as he was blinded by light and deafened by cheers from all around. He got sorted into Gryffindor. But the Sorting Hat…? Did it always change its mind mid announcement?

"We've got POTTER!" A boy shouted as though they had won a super amazing prize. Hands all around him, gently pushing and pulling and ruffling his hair. Wow. They really wanted him, they really liked him.

"Gryffindor! Gryffindor!" A chant started up. Harry broke into a huge, beaming smile, taking in his new Housemates for the next seven years. Hermione was there. Neville was there. He was sure Ron was going to be here too. Most importantly so will Severus.

"Yeah! Gryffindor!" He roared back, one hand on Neville's shoulder and the other thrusting into the sky. The entire table roared with him and the entirety of the Great Hall seemed to cheer with them and it was deafening.

He liked it.

A lot.

"Quiet down. Quiet down!" The witch, Deputy Headmistress McGonagall called out, her voice magnified with magic. It was another few minutes before the students listened to her. "Potter, Severus." Just like that chatter started back up but it was different chatter.

"Another Potter?"

"A cousin?"

"No, Harry is the last of the Great and Noble House of Potter."

"Well I can hear as good as the next bloke and she said Severus Potter!"

"That him?"

"He's tiny."

"He can't be eleven."

"Severus like Professor Snape?"

"Professor who?"

"You think he's a illegitimate love child between the mom and Snape? She was a redhead, I think."

"How do you not know Professor—oh yeah he left before you came here. You're lucky. Mean bastard."

"He fed my cat a potion I had made—knowing it was botched. Mean isn't the word."

"How would he be illegitimate?! They're the same age you dunderhead!"

"Hey! I heard he died in like a crazy accident. Don't talk bad about the dead!"

"And Snape was hideous. This kid is adorable."

"Well how do you explain it then?"

"Ask Harry."

"Oh yeah. He's right there. Oi, Harry where'd you find the redhead?" A boy from the next table (Hufflepuff) over shouted.

"He's my twin brother and he's great! Whichever House he goes to will be super lucky," Harry happily responded. Severus was not squirming on the stool from all the attention nor was he blushing because of Harry and his stupid compliments. He yanked the hat from the witch and onto his head, ready for this process to end.

"Gryffindor." He demanded in the darkness. He wanted to be as close to Harry as possible and he'd make sure to get the same room as well. There was a brush across his mind which he slapped away.

"Oh ho! Demanding aren't we? No hello again? Nice to see you, old buddy?"

"Gryffindor." Another brush. Slapped even harder.

"Oh come on kid. This is supposed to be fun. Loosen up. Your brother told me about you and ya seem like a great kid. Open up."

"I've no patience for this. Sort me into Gryffindor you old dust rag."

"Is that any way to speak to your elders? Now come on. Let me inside your mind so I can sort you."

"I'm a brave, foolhardy lad. Sort me into Gryffindor."

"... you can't believe that I'll believe you're foolhardy."

"Believe what you will. Gryffindor."

"Fine, kid, if that's what you want then I shan't argue. GR—SLYTHERIN!"

Gasps.

Then scattered, almost confused claps from the Slytherins. They became more confident and firmer when Harry joined in, clapping the hardest and whooping the loudest. But no one else joined in. Instead, heads came together to whisper and gossip.

"Go Severus!" Harry screamed, jumping up and down. "YEAAAH!" Severus swore silently as the dusty cloth was lifted from his head and he was engulfed in his brother's arms. "You're in Slytherin, Sev!" Harry grabbed him by the shoulders and tried to force him to jump as well. But he was reaching for the Sorting Hat so that he could tear that thing into a thousand pieces.

"Take your seat, Mr. Potter. _Both_ of you," the witch commanded, holding the Hat higher than his reach. Severus wanted to protest or at least push Harry off of him—they weren't even in the same House! (which was the problem!)— but then he felt it. The feeling he would get when his ma and pa would start to act a bit more tense and jittery, when their belongings would piece by piece be packed and then they'd be gone in the next minute, hour, day. He hadn't felt this in a long time, it seemed. It was almost gut churning this feeling of being watched by a predator.

Severus turned in his brother's hold to find those eyes watching him, to see the wolf that thought him sheep and there they were.

Twinkling blue eyes.

Understanding filled him.

That Old Bastard confounded the Sorting Hat.

Severus was going to _kill_ him!

+—

"Hey, Sev! Where ya going?" Harry popped up at his side before he could make his way out of the Great Hall. He had his plate in his hand and was shoveling food into his mouth as he walked. Severus glanced over the boy's shoulder to see his redheaded friend quickly trying to follow him and eat too. He rolled his eyes. He didn't like that boy, card or no card. Why? Severus didn't particularly need a reason, not really.

"Library," he pushed open the doors.

"Already? Did you eat?" Harry frowned. He made a noncommittal sound so that he wouldn't have to lie or face the Mother Hen side of his twin. The plate in Harry's hand disappeared as soon as his foot passed the threshold. "Hey! I was eating that!"

"The castle doesn't like to get dirty," a voice chuckled in the darkness. Harry jumped nearly fifty feet into the air and, at the same time Severus spat out a hex and a shield, the painful yellow light slamming right into the brightly dressed chest of the Headmaster. The old man doubled over, wrinkled hand coming up to clutch the damaged flesh. The twins paled dramatically and Harry rushed to the edges of the soft blue shield, horror twisting his features.

"Oh my God! Severus!" Harry whipped his head around to look at him, green eyes as big as dinner plates then he looked back to the old man murmuring under his breath. "Headmaster! Are… oh no. Are you okay? He didn't mean it!"

"This time," Severus muttered, arms crossed and not shook up that he actually landed a hit on the _most powerful wizard_ in their time. Harry pushed lightly against the barrier that Severus refused to drop and threw another wide eyed look at his twin.

"No need to worry, Harry. I am quite alright. Quite alright indeed," Dumbledore chuckled good naturedly. He straightened with only a bit of strain pulling at the corners of his eyes and leveled them with a gentle smile. He approached the shimmering shield, the light softening his features and causing his twinkle to twinkle all the brighter. He didn't appear angry or even injured despite Severus knowing exactly what his hex did and exactly how painful and life threatening it was when hitting the proper bit of flesh. He must have missed the sternum he was aiming for seeing as the old man was quite tall. Damn.

"You could have seriously injured a classmate with a spell like that, young man," Dumbledore chastise softly then he reached out, gently running his fingers against his barrier. Severus was starting to feel lightheaded just keeping it up. It was meant only as a temporary shield as it drained magic much more rapidly than a regular shield but was ten times as strong both physically and magically. But Dumbledore was powerful, much more powerful than him. He could probably reach right through it and snatch his wand if he wanted, "however this shield is strong and very well made. Who taught you this?"

"His ma taught him all he knows. Which was a lot!" Harry offered, bouncing on his heels. Severus bit down on his tongue to not hex his brother into next year. Did he ever have that talk with Harry about trusting adults?

"Quite nice. Quite nice indeed young Severus. Ten points to Slytherin," the Headmaster awarded. Severus sneered silently and dropped his barrier. He breathed slowly so that neither could see the tremble in his muscles and forced a smile when Harry whirled to pull him into a hug and jumped up and down.

"Your first points already Sev!" Harry cheered with twice the energy he should have so late at night. But he was warm. And Severus was sure he could just drift off in the taller boy's embrace right then and there.

"This has been an exciting first few hours and a bit of a wrong foot if I do say so, my boy." How much brighter could those blue eyes twinkle? The old man gave them a short bow. "Let me properly welcome you to our school."

"We are glad to be welcomed," Harry gushed. Actually gushed. Did the boy hit his head somewhere from Severus telling him that Albus Dumbledore was manipulating events around them and now facing the man right now. "I am a little disappointed Sev and I couldn't be in the same House though."

"Yes it is rather unfortunate but being at Hogwarts allows young ones to make new friends and embrace other people." Was that the old man's plan? Was he attempting to separate them because there was strength in numbers or because he knew that Severus would do everything he could to taint Harry's view on him? Severus almost cackled at such a foolhardy, idiotic scheme that had literally zero chance of succeeding. No one could replace Severus just like no one could replace Harry.

"Let's go, Harry," Severus straightened and grabbed the green eyed boy's hand and started to pull him in the direction of the library. The Headmaster stepped in their path once more and Severus's hand tightened on his wand.

"I am afraid that the library is not open so soon. You must return to your tables. How else will you find your dorms and know the password?" Severus swallowed the words ready to leave his lips. They were nasty and mean and would probably warrant a good hexing seeing as he did just attack the man but a few moments ago. He needed to find out more on this man, more on Snape, maybe he could even find out something about his ma if he thought creatively enough.

"Okay. C'mon Sev," Harry linked arms and pulled him backwards. Severus kept his head turned just a little to keep the Old Fool in his sight. Harry leaned close and whispered, "If you glared any harder, you would have set him on fire. Isn't it bad enough you attacked him?"

"No. I missed the chance to kill him which is better than he deserves. He is a monster," Severus murmured back. Harry chewed on his bottom lip, obviously not believing him and his accusations which hurt much more than Severus expected it to. Harry never not believed him or found his actions unjustified… it was different but he could change Harry's mind. He would find proof that this 'saint' was a devil in disguise. He pulled Harry into a tight hug before they separated.

—+

Severus stood in the midst of his fellow first year Slytherins (not even twenty, his mind threw out) and assured himself that he would solve his mysteries before the end of the year if he took everything slow and steady and, most of all, careful. He needed to get the lay of the castle that didn't rely on his mother's spoken word, he needed to get to know his classmates and especially his roommates. All in all he needed patience and he could do that. He was patient.

"Welcome first years. My name is Coraline Hinojosa. I am the Head Girl this year and Head of House for this month. This is Head Boy Levi Cooperman," a brown skinned girl with chin length silver hair announced with a look of utter boredom on her face and a scroll in hand. She gestured to the boy flanking her. He was short, square jawed and had piercing hazel eyes. He gave them a sharp nod that caused his dark curls to bounce but remained silent.

"What do you mean by that?" A girl sneered, crossing her arms. Pansy Parkinson was her name if Severus wasn't mistaken. She was a pale, dark haired and had an upturned nose.

"What do I mean by what?" Coraline sighed.

"That you're our Head of House for a month?" Pansy snapped impatiently.

"I'd fix that attitude of yours or I will deduct points from my own House. Please don't make me do that," Coraline seemed to beg but it couldn't be clearer that she didn't care about House points much less about being forced to deduct them. "I'll forgive it for now because it's your first night. What I mean by that Miss… Parkinson? Good. What I mean is that none of the available teachers want to be our Head of House but it is not possible to function without one. Complaints need to be brought up, supplies, permission, counseling… it is a lot. So we have created a system of in-House voting. We elect a new Head of House about every month. Anyone can be voted into it for as many times but it usually falls in the hands of an upperclassman."

"Is this not um… what word am I looking for? Dispari? Um, ah strange?" Blaise Zabini, a handsome, dark skinned Italian boy, made a vague gesture with his hand and had an amused tilt to his lips. Severus could agree that he held a bit of skeptical amusement that mere students were allowed to govern themselves. It was beyond ridiculous.

"I suppose but it is for the best. Our past non-Slytherin Head of Houses were unfit," the girl's face shifted into a grimace for a brief moment, brief enough that Severus almost didn't catch it. He wondered just how bad the adults were that the kids would rather fend for themselves and shoulder such a big burden, "in many ways too tedious to list. So I will not bother. My bedroom is just beyond that door. My schedule will also be posted on the door and should I not be in there or in classes I will leave a note on where to find me. It will never be inaccurate. You can come to me about anything. Yes. Even if you get homesick or actually sick. Please, do not hesitate. The Head of House performs a sort of… confidentiality unbreakable vow that prohibits us from repeating anything we are told in the setting of Head of House and student. Unless you plan to seriously harm yourself or others, your secrets are safe with me."

"So you just expect us to tell you every little thing? Do you think we're naive babies?" Pansy rolled her eyes, her obvious distrust practically palpable. Their Head of House stiffened dramatically and her face became serious and hard much like his ma would whenever she needed to tell him something that might be better to lie about.

"Miss Parkinson, I want you to hear me and hear me well. Slytherin is a House on its own and many believe that we deserve but we must make the best of it. There will be no abuse of power, not from me and not from anyone who becomes Head of House—that is a guarantee. We can not afford to not protect our fellow Housemates because _no one else will_. No one." Severus didn't trust easily, only fools did but those dark eyes held promises and an intensity that he couldn't help but believe. This was a teenager who saw what needed to be done and did it. She took her job seriously and would make sure that everyone knew it. Pansy nodded stiffly once the dark eyes fell onto her and Hinojosa seemed satisfied, her intensity dropping to practically nothing.

"Please move into groups as I call your name."

—+

Severus had been doing a good job, he truly had. He was assigned his dorm mates (Blaise Zabini, Draco Malfoy, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle) and the room they'd share and he even laid down for a total of two hours, listening to mutterings, snores and quiet breaths. But his mind was filled with too much activity, too many questions for him to even pretend to sleep. It was another ten minutes before he gave up and rolled out of bed, trainers on his feet and wand in his hand.

He froze as he entered the common room. There, sitting in front of a dying fire, was Albus Dumbledore.

"What are _you_ doing here?" Did he come seeking revenge?

"A Headmaster always checks on his students, even when they should be sound asleep," the old man chuckled then he held out a little pouch, "lemon drop?"

"No." Never.

"I saw that you attempted your library expedition without eating first." Dumbledore shook the bag. Severus glared harder. What was with this old man? Why did he watch him so? Watching Harry, he understood but why him?

"It is none of your business," Severus crossed his arms. He didn't trust a single morsel of food in this castle, at least none that landed on his plate. The Dursleys taught him that lesson and he didn't need to learn it again. He planned to search the library extensively for a good detection spell and then start to eat the food provided.

"I am sorry to hear that, Sever—."

"Do _not_ call me by such a familiar name. You have no right."

"Very well, Mr. Potter. How is your first night going?"

"Why did you put me in Slytherin?" He demanded instead.

"I do not assign Houses, that would be the Sorting Hat." Severus tightened his hold on his wand. There was no doubt that if he attacked the old man he would lose instantly. He was too young and too weak and he did not have the element of surprise this time. But he was furious at being lied to right to his face, being treated like a fool because he was a child. It pushed hexes to the tip of his tongue and caused his wand to hum in his grasp.

But he would not win, he would be killed before his lips formed a syllable. Severus never quite felt this helpless before. He never quite realized just how cold fear made him. It curled up in his heart and sent shivers down his spine. He felt alone, more alone than he thought possible, in this dark room facing this monster, their only witnesses a dying fire and quiet lake. The cool necklace against his heart shifted and a tiny flame beat back the cold. He couldn't let this fear consume him, not with Harry counting on him.

"You are a conniving, lying, treacherous fool and I will thwart whatever plans you have in store for me, for Harry. Especially for Harry. You. Can't. Have. Him," Severus hissed. He had to protect Harry, be strong for Harry. He would defeat Dumbledore a thousand times if it meant that Harry would be safe.

"Five points from Slytherin. That is no way to speak to any adult," Dumbledore admonished but it was obvious that he was amused. He probably thought that Severus could and would do nothing against him. Severus sneered as he turned on his heel to stomp back into his room. Tonight he would not sneak out but tomorrow was another day. He only took a few steps before Dumbledore spoke again, barely a whisper in that cold common room as though he spoke more to himself, "Things are never as they seem. For a greater good that allows the Light to shine and prosper sacrifices must be made, pain must be felt. One day you will understand that. Everything I do is for the greater good."

"Sod the greater good," he bit out.

—+

TBC

Flamingo dancer, they've been sorted! I've changed nothing!

NEXT CHAPTER are CLASSSSESSS! Yay! We'll find out who the potion Professor is!

Thanks for tuning in! Kisses!


	7. Brewin' and Transfigurin'

First day of classes! Harry felt like he would just vibrate right out of his skin or fall asleep in this cup of orange juice. Yeah, he didn't sleep very well his first night and that was because of his excitement for today and not because his bed was too big and too cold. Nope. Just pure excitement.

"Ugh. We share classes with _Slytherins_ this year," Ron gagged, showing a glimpse of chewed up omelette.

"That's disgusting," Hermione wrinkled her nose.

"Slytherins are disgusting," Ron chirped opened his mouth to display the mess of cheese and egg he had consumed causing the girl to turn away with a gasp of dismay.

"Excuse me?" Harry frowned.

"What?" Ron frowned right back.

"Use your brain, Ronald. Severus is his _twin_. And he's in Slytherin," Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Uh oh. Did I just hear someone say the impossible?" A boy who had to be Ronald's brother popped up suddenly. He was a tall, lanky boy with carrot red hair and freckles and blue eyes that shone with pure mischief. His mirror image sprouted from the ground as though he had crawled to avoid being seen until just then.

"I think you did, Mr. Weasley. Any persons with eyes knows our dear Ronnikins can't do things like keep his foot out of his mouth. It's a serious condition," the mirror image clicked his tongue sadly. He placed a hand on Ron's head only for it to be slapped off but then he placed it back. This continued on for the amusement of their fellow Gryffindors as the lanky boy continued on in a most serious tone. "Hello. I am Healer Frederick Weasley and this is my colleague Healer George Weasley—no relation."

"You two look exactly alike," Harry pointed out.

"We get that a lot but I truly cannot see it," the first twin shrugged.

"Yes, we—."

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!" A voice shrieked and then there was a crash. Harry jumped to his feet just in time to see a head of red hair move away from the Slytherin table. There was a large boy so big that he completely obscured Severus from view and it seemed as though he was trying to jump across the table to get to the tiny redhead but several hands stopped him. Oh no. Harry had a bad feeling about this. The necklace was cold. Severus wasn't in danger because he was the danger.

"I'll be right back," he told his new friends. He cursed the fact that Slytherin table was so far away as he ran as fast as he could. It was their first day and this was supposed to be fun.

"Yoor jusa ferst year ya little shite. Dun go makin enemies of—!"

"Please do not call yourself powerful or dangerous. I don't want to laugh and embarrass you further," Severus cut off the thick Irish accent. Harry slid to a stop to take in the scene. There was a broken plate and food strewn across the floor as though it had been thrown. The boy across from Severus was older, maybe a fourth year. He was tall and… practically bursting out of his school robes due to his insane muscles and he was absolutely furious, his face a familiar shade of purple and foam nearly dripping. The boys restraining him barely had a grip at this point. But there weren't any wands out and Severus was too far back to physically attack anyone. Good. It was still salvageable. "If you are so offended that you lack knowledge a first year has then perhaps you should pick up a book rather than a fork." Never mind.

"Hey—." Harry started to step into the fray and hopefully not into a hex but was stopped by what had to be the most pompous voice in the whole world.

"If this is the way you act at school then perhaps I should inform my father, Snyder." All eyes snapped to the blond haired boy who had spoken. Back straight, single eyebrow raised and a cup of orange juice dangling disgustingly elegantly in a little, pale hand. Draco.

"I—he—." The muscular boy sputtered, gesturing wildly.

"Apologize then walk away, Snyder," the blond commanded, cutting off the stream of words. Snyder froze as though he had been slapped.

"That's not necessary," Harry protested. He could just barely believe this was Draco Malfoy the klutz that saved his brother. This Draco Malfoy now seemed like some snooty prince with his nose in the sky—like Dudley but richer.

"I apologize, Potter," Snyder spat between clenched teeth then he turned on his heel and stomped from the Great Hall. A girl with silver hair didn't pause her chewing as she gave her wand a few complicated waves and the plate put itself back together and the food vanished. Chatter resumed quietly amongst the snakes. Almost like nothing had happened. Harry looked to the Head Table to see that none of the teachers were even looking their way. That was weird, right? There was almost a massacre over here and nobody even blinked!

"Harry, why would you step between two people and not have your wand out?" Severus sighed as though _Harry_ were the one antagonizing people into attacking him. He gaped as his twin casually grabbed his bag and slung it over his shoulder. He grabbed Harry's hand and began to drag him back to his designated table of lions which snapped him out of his utter astonishment.

"Don't you mean why were you starting fights on your first day!? Sev! You almost got expelled," Harry waved his free arm wildly because there was no doubt in his mind that Severus would have went for the most excessive ultimate attack battling Snyder to teach everyone else that he was not to be messed with.

"Do not be so dramatic, Harry. Expulsion," Severus scoffed as though the word and its entire conception was ridiculous. "Besides, as status quo I do not start fights." Harry rolled his eyes. Sure, technically Severus didn't start fights but he sure knew how to get people to start them when he wanted to fight. Severus didn't even give the Gryffindors a single glance as he grabbed Harry's bag to sling on the same shoulder then he was on the move again, this time out of the Great Hall. "Our first class is Potions."

—+

"So, you're that girl from Diagon Alley." Severus glanced up from the tome disguised as a textbook he was reading. It was Malfoy. The blond haired boy stood in front of his workbench, arms crossed and a carefully casual look of boredom on his pointed face.

"I am a boy," Severus replied, going back to his book. Snape had recommended the book of theories and demanded he read them all and note which ones were possible and which ones were pipe dreams dreamt by a fools. It was a term long lesson atop several other ones such as a book of advanced Charms and several higher level defensive spells and a book of morally grey spells. All of them were infinitely better than whatever lessons their professor would have… whoever he was. He could tell just by the homework assignment written on the board that this teacher was either a novice or he thought them toddlers. Just a foot on healing potions? He could write five feet just on the ingredients of _one_ potion. And that we just plain vague.

"Lying is unneeded. I have a parent on the school board… and eyes in my head," Draco rolled said silver eyes. Severus wondered if their disguises were shoddy or if they just happened to run into the two children that were observant. They hadn't been caught by Hagrid… then again the half giant was nearly ten feet tall and thus looking down from that angle. Next time he would need to use prosthetics or magic to alter cheekbones and noses…

"Where is the professor?" Daphne asked quietly.

"Maybe you guys killed him like the other one!" A voice that was definitely Ronald shouted from the back. The office door chose that moment to swing open.

"Now, now. No one has killed us just yet," a man chuckled as he came into the room. He was an average height man that was a bit too unassuming in Severus's opinion. He had honey blond hair and eyes like gold and a stupid mustache that curved under his small smile. The only out of place thing about him were the scars. Silvery lines that stretched over his face and trailed under his collar. Slightly behind him was a friendly looking if not short and fat man with dirty blond hair and watery blue eyes. This man looked quite like a rat if Severus was being honest.

"Hello, children. I am Professor Lupin and this is my assistant Professor Pettigrew. We apologize for being late but I am quite sickly and needed a few more minutes to get ready," Professor Lupin explained. He pulled out a scroll and asked them all to stand up and come to the front.

"As you all should know this is Beginners Potions. It's a subtle art, powerful in its own right and necessary to be a full rounded wizard or witch." That was it? That was the speech on the beautiful, complex science of Potions!? Severus refused to gape but he felt his inteneral jaw hit the floor. The man pulled open the scroll and squinted at the list. "Let's see… we are even between Houses—wow Gryffindors and Slytherins. I don't think we've had this combination. How about we… Harry?!" The man's mouth dropped open comically and he seemed to choke on his own spit. He stared at Harry as though seeing a ghost and angel at the same time. Severus didn't like that. He took a protective step in front of his brother, glaring as though the man meant to snatch him up and run away. Which he probably did with the way he continued to stare.

"I guess it has been ten years," his co-professor muttered just loud enough to be heard. He stared at Harry as well so was treated with a glare from Severus just the same.

"Yes, um. You're quite right, Peter. Ten years and such. Um. Hm. You must be Severus then. Welcome to Hogwarts boys," Professor Lupin cleared his throat and managed to drag his eyes away from the now-curious Gryffindor. "As I was saying, Gryffindors will partner with Slytherins. It will really help you children bond, I believe." There were muted groans and muttered protests.

"So. I think Parvati Patel and Daphne Greengrass will be good. Ronald Weasley and Vincent Crabbe. Hermione Granger, Pansy Parkinson. Lavender Brown, Millicent Bulstrode. Blaise Zabini, Seamus Finnigan. Harry Potter, Severus… no, no. Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy. Yes, yes. Severus Potter, Neville Longbottom. Finally we have Dean Thomas and Gregory Goyle."

Harry wasn't mad that he hadn't gotten to be with his brother but he was certainly jealous. Whoever (Neville, apparently. The lucky kid) was partnered with his brother would most definitely be the top of the class when it came to brewing. Well, maybe Draco wouldn't be that bad. He turned to his new partner and was met by an expression he saw on Severus's face pretty often: unimpressed. It was normally directed at some idiot who didn't quite realize he was an idiot.

"Is there something on my face?" Harry asked, crossing his eyes.

"No, there isn't. There's no wig on your head, either," Draco replied. Ooohhh! Harry was going to have to talk to Severus about their disguise.

"Before we start our first potion, would anyone like to tell me what flowers to expect when speaking of Narcissus?" Two hands shot in the air almost before the question was asked. Severus and Hermione. "Uh… Miss Granger?"

"The Narcissus genus are predominantly spring perennial plants in the amaryllis family," she said quite confidentially.

"Correct! Five points to Gryffindor. Can anyone name any examples?" Two hands again. Severus and Hermione, "Miss Granger?"

"There's the…" Hermione looked hesitant, her eyes sliding to the Slytherin boy across from her then back to the expectant professor. She continued with a frown, "jonquil and poet's narcissus which are quite common in healing draughts."

"Ten points to Gryffindor, brava Miss Granger!" Professor Lupin applauded the girl.

"Now, based on Miss Granger's answers and the ingredients I have listed on the board can anyone venture a guess on _which_ healing draught we will be working on?" This time it was only Severus who raised his hand, "no one?" Severus looked up to see if his hand was actually raised and there it was. In the air. He gave it a little wave. "No one at all?" Hm. "Oh, Mr. Potter!" Professor Lupin pointed to not him but to Harry.

"Severus knows the answer. I thought you might not have seen him," Harry leaned over his table to place a hand on Severus's head, clearly showing that it was this Potter he should have chosen.

"That doesn't seem to be correct, unfortunately. We are brewing a simple healing potion called Felix Fix It created by a well known brewer by the name of…? Yes, Mister Finnigan?"

"Felix Felix."

"Very good. Another five points to Gryffindor. Now turn to page 25 where you will find a brief explanation on the potion and the steps on the next page. My assistant will be handing out the ingredients. As soon as you receive yours and _thoroughly_ read the instructions you may begin. I will walk around to observe. Feel free to speak but in a low tone, please."

"Soooooo we think the Professor was totally ignoring you, right?" Harry leaned across his work table to whisper.

"He's most definitely ignoring you. It's why I didn't raise my hand for the last question. Testing a theory," Hermione nodded.

"That or he suddenly goes blind in my direction. It is not a common phenomenon but it does happen," Severus frowned. He was sure he hadn't done anything to the docile looking man as it was only the very first day but he certainly _would_ do something if he continued to be ignored. The only question was if it should be overt and untraceable like a gas or something Harry would do… perhaps taking the screws out of his chair or a bucket of water on the door or…

"Thank you," Neville said as he was handed their ingredients basket. Severus took it immediately and began to shift inside. The flowers were absolutely mangled! Subpar, definitely not fresh and probably ordered in bulk. Merlin! What was that smell? Their toad eyes were chemically altered to stay fresh which just… that was damn stupid. Severus shot his hand in the air. Amber eyes roamed the room and skipped over him. Oh? Okay.

"Longbottom, I'll be right back. Fill half the cauldron with water," Severus commanded. He slammed the basket down and stomped to the door he saw the professors come from and threw it open. "Lumos!" He flicked his wand to light it. Severus took a look around the room and decided right then and there that Lupin and Pettigrew were the _worst_ professors in Hogwarts and definitely not Potion Masters. The ingredients on the wall were in alphabetical order (from what he could tell) for Merlin's sake! One had to be a special kind of stupid to do that. There was also dust all along the shelves, webs clinging to bottles and—Severus wept. He physically wept at the mere sight of an unsupervised potion just sitting in the corner like that. There was some sort of mildew along the wall, right where the potion sat. Just who. Who hired these idiots? He stomped over to the cauldron and bent through the shield to give a whiff only to immediately snatch away. Good God it stank to the high heavens like rotting entrails! And was most definitely burnt. He wondered what it was, bubbling and silver as it was and in a pure silver cauldron as well…

"And just what are you doing in here?" A nasally voice demanded. Severus peered over his shoulder to see Professor Pettigrew, his lips pulled down in a frown.

"Oh, I thought I was invisible and could do whatever I please," Severus shrugged, pulling away from the potion. He wandered to the shelves and pulled down the vial of crystals he desired. Testing the seal assured him they were not tampered with at the very least though he doubted their freshness.

"Ten points from Slytherin. Please take your seat," Professor Pettigrew pointed in what might have been an authoritative way had it not been the way his eyes seemed to dart around nervously. Very rat-ish.

"Your potion is burning," Severus was never one to let a potion be ruined over something so petty. Professor Pettigrew cursed under his breath and rushed over to the small cauldron much to his satisfaction.

—+

"Neville. Do you know what half means?" Severus asked calmly as he found himself looking into a full cauldron.

"Oh, um. Yes. I do but uh, you left and Professor Lupin said that the directions said a full cauldron," Longbottom chewed on his bottom lip. He threw a glance at the other pairs to see if he had done something awful but their cauldrons were all full of water as well.

"Yes, but Professor Lupin isn't brewing with subpar ingredients nor does he have extra ingredients to fix this handicap," Severus explained as nicely as he could. He tilted the cauldron and drained half the water out then he carefully placed it upon the flame in the middle of their table, thankful the Gryffindor hadn't thought to do it. He handed some flowers to the boy, "Cut the roots diagonally. Toss the petals." Longbottom looked back to the book and chewed on his bottom lip. Severus pinched his nose. "Look at our petals. Do they look healthy to you? Yes or no?"

"B-but…" Neville fiddled with said petals. They did look unhealthy, limp and brown around the edges. He certainly wouldn't give them to his mum or dad as a present so he supposed he shouldn't want to use them in a potion either but the directions specifically said petals and he wanted to do a really good job in all his classes to make his gran proud…

"If we fail, I will take responsibility," Severus sighed, working on grinding the crystals as fine as he could. Longbottom didn't seem assured but he did as asked. They worked… okay together. Severus found himself biting down on his tongue as the boy seemed to have some sort of hearing problem or something. Or maybe it was the way Professor Lupin stared at them before looking away when Severus stared back.

"Okay. Now we just let it simmer until the end of class," Severus turned the heat as low as he could and started to clean up.

"Uh… are you sure? I mean? My um, the book it says that…" Longbottom trailed off as he wrung his fingers half to death.

"If I wasn't sure then… for Merlin's sake. Don't believe me if you want but alter that potion and I will hex you across the room," Severus growled. Longbottom let out a noise that could only be described as a squeak and he scrambled to clean instead. Severus rolled his eyes and pulled out his secret tome.

"Seeeevvvv!" Harry half whine interrupted a particularly fascinating theory of a cure for vampirism. It was total lunacy that boarded on gibberish but still fascinating.

"What?" Severus muttered, not turning his eyes from his pages.

"We followed the directions perfectly and our potion isn't right. I know it should be much lighter than this and the smell is off but I don't know why," Harry poked him with what felt like a ladle. Hopefully a clean one. Severus took a deep breath, smelling his potion well on its way to being perfect and the many other cauldrons that just weren't right. Even Harry's and Harry followed directions quite well. Did neither professor smell that? With a sigh he closed his book and turned around only to be beat by Professor Pettigrew.

"Is there a problem H—Mr. Potter?" The stout man asked almost eagerly. Ew.

"I was just asking Sev… oh yeah, you're a professor. Forgot. Me and Draco followed all the directions, see he's still stirring and it's not the right blue," Harry explained.

"So um, did you do something um fun for Summer vacation…" A voice asked beside him. Most likely Longbottom and thus unimportant. Professor Pettigrew inserted himself between Harry and Draco, his back half to the blond as he leaned in close to Harry to peer at his book. Why didn't he already know the potion and it's directions? Why was he so close? Would Severus get expelled if he blasted the man across the room? And why was the other one staring so hard at Harry despite in the middle of helping another pair? Severus rubbed the bridge of his nose. He should have enrolled them in some other school.

"How are you done already?" Hermione's voice demanded somewhere to his left. Perhaps they could have passed for girls at Madam Olaf's School for Gifted Witches. At least for a few years. Or maybe that new Russian school rumored to be run by a vampire and staffed entirely with Dark Witches and Wizards. At the very least they probably would only be trying to 'corrupt' or extort them, it wouldn't be none of this… fawning, he supposed he'd describe it.

"Um, Sev changed some stuff." Professor Pettigrew still didn't know the problem and now seemed to be taking the bronze stirring spoon from Draco. In mid-stir. Severus winced. It was now ruined. Curdled. Chunks would form in the bottom.

"Look what you've done!" Draco glared at the man, obviously realizing what would now happen.

"What do you mean you changed some stuff?" Hermione again. Severus wondered if there was a telepathy charm he could teach the two so that they could shut up while Severus spectated. Wait, did Longbottom call him _Sev_?

"It seems that you and Young Malfoy skipped a step or maybe you haven't stirred long enough," The Professor deduced. Incorrectly.

"Are you—YOU messed up our potion when you stopped me from stirring!" Draco snapped.

"Two points from Slytherin, there is no need to yell at a professor Mr. Malfoy," Professor Lupin chastised on his way over.

"My father will hear about the lack of competency in this sham of a classroom," Draco threw himself back in his seat, arms folded.

"Well our um our ingredients weren't good so Sev changed it a bit."

"What's this I hear?" Amber eyes snap over to Severus. For a moment he wasn't quite sure what the man was talking about but then he realized he must have heard what had to be the loudest Gryffindors in the classroom. The man walked the few feet to their table where their potion bubbled softly away. The right shade of blue and, Severus glanced at the clock, ready to come off the fire. "Why are your petals not in your potion?"

"Those petals are disgusting and whoever paid for much less harvested them is a fool," Severus leaned forward and gave the potion a sniff. It smelled just how his ma made it, how he's made it countless times. He turned off the flames.

"You cannot just make up your own recipe, that is dangerous," Professor Lupin frowned.

"I didn't 'make it up'. It is the same recipe using different parts and it wasn't as though I guessed. I knew," Severus mimicked the expression. He didn't quite understand the problem seeing as it wasn't his ingredients that were utter shite. No one had a proper potion as they did, the Hermione/Pansy duo were probably the closest and Draco/Harry had been on their way until the professor had come along.

"I'm sorry to say but I can't count this," Professor Lupin pulled out his wand. Did he mean to _banish_ his hard work!? Severus grabbed the cauldron by its hot rim and yanked it out of the path of the spell. He couldn't hold in his scream of pain at the second degree burns he'd given himself.

"Merlin! Are you okay!?" Professor Lupin jerked back in horror then forward with hands out in concern. Severus ignored him and carefully poured some of his healing potion upon the damage. Before the entire classes' eyes his flesh mended leaving just a touch of redness.

"See? We brewed Felix Fix It," he grinned triumphantly. Professor Lupin gaped from the potion to his hands and back to the potion then his frown was back.

"Detention."

—+

Severus wouldn't say he was fuming. No. Fuming would imply he was angry and he wasn't angry. He was royally pissed and he would set this school a goddamn ablaze before he let this injustice slide. Professor Remus Stupid Mustache Lupin would rue the day he gave detention to Severus Tobias Potter for doing nothing wrong.

"Sev… that parchment hasn't done anything to you," Harry placed a hand atop of his as he added another dot to another 'i' quite savagely. Severus snapped his head around to glare at Harry because he was pissed and plotting! But then the boy flinched violently and dammit. Now he was angry and guilty. He twisted his hand and intertwined their fingers.

"I just…" he made a vague and angry gesture with his other hand. A smile tugged at Harry's lips and he gave the fingers in his grasp a squeeze because of course Harry understood.

"Hey no problem. Besides we have detention together so it should be fun," Harry shrugged. Severus tilted his head in curiosity. He had stormed out of the class as soon as he was given detention and subsequently ignored any lost House Points or additional detentions he may have received to sit inside the nearly empty Transfiguration classroom. The only other being was a cat that was substantially magical. It wasn't until he was half way through the assigned homework that the rest of his classmates, Harry included, joined him.

"Yeah. I told Lupin—."

"Professor Lupin," Hermione piped up over her textbook and a seat in front of them.

"I mean the guy is totally off his rocker and he gave Harry detention for no reason," Ron protested from beside her, twisting in his seat to look at them.

"He did say to a professor that if they can't see great talent right in front of them then they're a… what did he say exactly, Parvati?" A dark skinned girl with curly blond hair grinned from the front of the class. Lavender Brown. The Indian girl beside her whipped around, dark eyes obviously amused.

"Hideously blind quack not worth the price of a bronze cauldron," she practically cackled. Severus raised an eyebrow to his suddenly red faced twin. All the Gryffindors began to laugh, even Hermione had to lift her book higher to hide her giggles.

"Dun forgit whot he seaid aboot the mustache!" A nearly choking Seamus Finnigan piped up, practically hanging off the howling Dean Thomas beside him.

"He called it stupid, unnecessary and a hazard to anyone who looked at it!" Ron pounded his table, literal tears coming down his face. Severus bit back his smile. He wasn't sure why he hadn't expected Harry to defend him and it was almost enough to soothe the injustice. Almost. But not quite. There was still day-ruing that had to happen. Not as harshly now but it would happen.

"Class is going to start soon," Pansy muttered irritably in the quiet class, "Are all professors going to be late?"

The cat atop the desk stood at that moment, giving a stretch before jumping towards the podium and there stood Professor McGonagall in all her stern glory. She was an animagus, Severus noted, a touch impressed.

"There is one thing that has never and shall never happen in the history of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and that is me being tardy. None of you should be either. I expect each and every one of you with your books and quill, ready to learn. I am sorry to say that I do prefer my classes separated by House…" The witch looked over her glasses at the twin who threw off the balance. Severus frowned as he realized that the Gryffindors had followed Harry like a bunch of ducks to its mother so it was he who had to move. Almost as soon as he stood Ron jumped the table to take his seat. Neville, with a look of relief on his face, left his seat beside Blaise and threw himself next to Hermione.

"Ciao, tereso," Blaise's lips curled up like a particularly wicked cat with a tasty canary between its teeth as he approached. Right before he could take the seat, the large body of Gregory appeared and stole it. The dark skinned boy blinked in surprise then tapped the other on the shoulder. "Are you blind or stupid, Gregory? That seat is taken."

"Mr. Potter, there is an empty seat at the front of the class besides Mr. Malfoy," Professor McGonagall called out rather patiently. Two brown pair of eyes snapped to where she said and there was Draco, attempting a casually bored look ruined only by his silver eyes continually darting over to them.

"Tch, he is no fun," Blaise rolled his eyes. Then he blew a kiss to Severus, "In the next class, tereso." Severus shook his head in quiet amusement and went to the only empty seat.

"That was quite unnecessary," he said quietly, opening his book.

"I disagree. Family should stick together and we are practically cousins," Draco shrugged. Severus choked on his startled laugh. He had forgotten that purebloods saw godparents as actual family, never to be taken lightly or dismissed. Snape probably gave Draco his middle name. So, sharing a godfather meant as Draco said, practically cousins.

"If you truly believe that then you know I have a right to information about him," Severus murmured, keeping his eyes on the lecturing witch. He wanted to grab the boy and shake every bit of information out of him. This was the one mystery that he had the answer sitting right next to him and it irritated him to know that he couldn't quite reach it.

How did Severus Snape die?

Draco placed a hand over his, "Later."

—+

Minerva felt like she was just going to melt as she gazed at her Severus. He was a wee little thing, tiny as she remembered him and his nose was crooked once again. She shook her head in disappointment, she should have known that the Dursleys weren't treating the boys right. She should have listened to her instincts when they screamed at her about Harry not being safe. Oh she chewed Albus out so hours after she saw the boys in that Hospital Wing. A cracked skull! Poisoned! But Albus had placated her. Explained, a little pale faced, that it had been a one time incident. The Dursleys had been 'startled' by the letters and attempts to recruit the boys and Severus had been 'combative'...

Minerva smiled just a bit. That sounded like her Severus. If he didn't want to move then it would take a mountain to force him. And Harry. Sweet, protective Harry. Minerva glanced at the green eyed boy, sitting at the edge of his desk and just rapt with attention. Curious, smart boy like her Severus. She looked back to him. He didn't appear too off. Still to himself, shoulders hunched just a bit and a slight scowl pulling at his lips. She grinned, glad to see that some things never change even with a new, prettier frame.

Severus raised his hand.

"Mr. Potter?" She walked over. He silently held up his sewing needle. Oh my, she only gave the assignment but a minute ago and it was really more for them to attempt for the last twenty minutes of class. She looked it over, felt along it and yes, it was a perfect transfiguration. Her Severus was still just as brilliant. She smiled gently down at the red haired boy. "Twenty points to Slytherin. If you wish you may leave early."

"Thank you, Professor." Oh he was still so quiet. She wondered if he was still as much of a Quidditch fan as he was an adult. He loved going to games with her, bickering over which teams had the greatest potential… perhaps she could invite this Severus to her office for tea. Not too soon but soon. She needed to speak to him, to see if he had any memories in there, repressed or otherwise.

Severus packed his books, whispering something to Young Malfoy and she hid her wince. If there was something about her Severus that she did not like it was his… relationship with Malfoy. Lucius was a wicked boy who led Severus down a dark path and right into the hands of that monster. There was no telling that Draco was the same but still, a Malfoy was a Malfoy. They were users, seekers of talents to exploit and destroy, to manipulate and twist. Yes, that tea time will have to be soon.

"You going to the library?" Harry asked as the boy passed his seat.

"Of course. I'll see you in flying class after lunch." Oh there was that smile she missed. Still small and soft, almost invisible as it was a secret just between him and the one he directed it to.

Her Severus was still in there.

—+

TBC!

There goes the first two classes. I didn't put it in cause it's not important but I did the classes as such: Potions and transfig on mwf. Flying on Mondays. Astrology on F nights. Charms, DADA, herbology on TTh. History of Magic on WTh.

Ummm oh yeah! I got some cool, like impressively creative guesses on the potion Professor that never occurred to me and were like top level advanced ideas but nope! It's Lupin and (GASP) Pettigrew!


	8. Soaring Heights

Severus.

Severus.

 _His Severus!_

"N-no. Severus… Severus _Snape_ is dead," Quinarius insisted to the soul inside his own. Voldemort growled loudly, echoing in his head and vibrating his body. This wasn't the first time he had to say this, had explained multiple times that Snape had died in a Potions accident and received the same disbelief. At first it was manageable as the overwhelming proof of his memories and the lack of said man simply lead to muttered conspiracy theories and anger that felt like lukewarm soup dumped into his lap. But now… now that there was this red haired boy with the same name and the same ferocity…

Liar.

The anger was hot, burning and boiling his blood until he cried tears of steam. It hurt. He didn't lie. Severus Snape was dead. Everyone knew that!

Liar.

No, no. He wouldn't lie. Severus Snape was dead. This child was Harry's twin. He had nothing to do with Snape. Nothing.

Liar!

"I knoooowwww my Sevvverussssss. You liiieeee!" The fascination with this child was creepy. It was creepy, disturbing and definitely distracting. He felt like a dirty pervert watching the boy from the cool shadows, blanketed in their darkness but meters from the unknowing lad. But it was better than doing the thoughts that surfaced the soul's mind. His mind. Their mind. It was perhaps worse than what he— _they_ wanted to to do Harry.

No, it was definitely worse. At least they only wanted to kill _that_ Potter boy and thus rid themselves of anything that could cause their (second) demise. This one… this Potter boy needed to be used for something more. This one needed a new mark. He needed to be gathered close. He needed to be brought back to the circle. His skills and mind needed to be assessed, he needed to be cracked open like an egg to see what sort of insides he had. Because this was his Severus. Voldemort knew it. Could see it even through the weak, untrained eyes of this vessel. This idiot.

"I wonder what he could be studying so soon?" Quirrell murmured. Voldemort rolled his eyes as much as he could in such a state. His Severus was nothing if not loyal. He was like a beaten dog and the first one to feed him would have that ferociousness on their side. It was nothing short of pure genius for him to turn himself into a child and put himself close to the Potter boy. Clever, clever. So he could be studying literally anything.

"What's he—h-h-he's l-l-looking r-ri-right at us!" Oh so clever indeed. The new defense professor flinched even further into the shadows, as far back as their power would allow him but it did him no good. Brown eyes, hard and sharp seemed to follow his movement and dear Merlin he was going to die if that look meant anything. Possessed by a dark lord and killed by a child. Quinarius cursed his luck. But Lord Voldemort did not seem concerned, if anything he seemed _pleased._

"That's myyyyyy Severus." The boy's wand came sliding from his sleeve and already his lips were moving and his wand was waving and Quinarius was sure his heart would fall right out of his chest but then, by the grace of Magic Herself, an older student rounded the corner, wand displaying the time and a disapproving look dragging her lips down.

"Go to your flying lessons. You're late." The boy froze, eyes still boring into them before he let out a quiet curse and spun on his heel. With a hushed sigh of relief the pale man sank against the wall and to the ground. That had been horrifying. He needed a person better suited for this sort of thing.

"The raaaatttttt…!"

—+

Severus thought that he wouldn't be able to get in physical exercise while at Hogwarts but as he dashed down the halls, skidding around corners and jumping down stairs, Severus realized he was wrong. His bag pounded wildly at his hip and his hair practically flew behind him.

"Where's the troll, Red?" A student called after Severus nearly barreled into him. Severus whipped his head around just to see who said that so he could hex their tongue out the next chance. A boy. Older. Hufflepuff. Brown hair. Bright grey eyes. Chiseled features. Large.

Good, he would be able to describe and find later. Severus planned to hex him blind or something creative… as soon as he made it to flying class. Because he was late. Really late. It wasn't his fault. He had gone to the library and summoned every book with the name Albus Dumbledore and it turned out to be many more books then he thought. So many that he nearly nailed a studying seventh year in the head as the books came flying. And he read them. Each and every one. There wasn't a bad word written about the man in any, not even a footnote that pointed to nefarious deeds. He was lauded as powerful and brilliant, the most powerful of his generation and currently in the world. He fought for muggleborns, half bloods and creatures' rights in any way he could which was above and beyond anything anyone else has done. The school had less deaths under his guidance and… those books put a nasty taste in his mouth. So the reason he was late was because of Dumbledore.

Severus slowed down as he came upon his class. There was a little blip he found quite interesting… something about a sister that no other book mentioned. A sister that only one author thought to mention was worth investigating in his opinion.

"Sev, where were you?" Harry demanded then he turned his fiery eyes back to Draco. "Give back that rememball!"

"What's going on?" Severus frowned, ignoring his brother's question. There was no teacher, Longbottom was missing and it seemed as though Harry and Draco were arguing. Or Harry was arguing and Draco was amused by it.

" _Draco_ took Neville's rememball and won't give it back." Ah. That made sense. Harry was standing up for Longbottom.

"Isn't there a muggle saying… if I find it, I keep it?" Draco grinned, tossing the little ball up and down.

"You're being a prat," Harry frowned.

"Class got interrupted by that klutz and now I'm bored," the platinum haired boy shrugged.

"Why don't you race for it?" Severus sighed. Typically his first instinct would be to beat the blond bloody (seeing as Harry wouldn't) then just take the ball but he needed something from Draco first and Longbottom's stupid little ball wasn't enough to risk that.

"I know a spell that launches items far," Blaise held up his wand with a wicked smile, "We use it for our dogs."

"I like that! Join us Sev!" Harry bounced excitedly. Severus hesitated. He's never really liked heights or having his feet off the ground. But after Poland… it was a bit of a hassle. He felt dizzy and there were chants that he couldn't clearly hear but he knew, he knew that they were chants on cleansing. Cleansing him, killing him if it became necessary. His stomach rolled hearing the chants but mostly it was the heat. Heat so close, so hot. It tried to eat his hair first and climb to his body. It wanted to consume him down to his soul.

Severus knew it was an irrational fear. None of it was logical—after all Poland was years ago but he couldn't fight it. Not really. Even when it nearly cost him his life during The Spectacle. He shook like a leaf on that ledge and got caught by Vernon because of it.

"Please, Sev!" Harry pushed Neville's broom into his hands. Of course he never told Harry of that incident or his resulting phobia. Severus took a deep, shaky breath. He could do this. It was just a very quick game of fetch basically. Perhaps a few feet off the ground. He couldn't show Harry or his classmates that this scared him. They would mock him relentlessly.

Severus dropped his bag and straddled the broom.

"Up!" The other two boys shouted. They straddled theirs as well and together they kicked off. Harry was a little wobbly but seemed confident as he climbed the air. Draco had the ease of someone who has always owned and ridden a broom which was not surprising. Severus… Severus felt like he was going to hurl. He could feel sweat dripping from his forehead and his body trembled so he thought of the solution he always thought of: magic. He focused all of his shields as powerful as he could and shut down every thought except for one mission. Catch the ball. That's all he could and would concentrate on, feeling nothing else.

"Pronti, partenza, via!" Blaise threw the ball and shouted a spell at the same time. At the same time it shot off so did the three boys. All of their eyes were on the prize. They pressed low and reached out their hands, zooming across the field and right to the castle. They wouldn't reach the ball without being seen. Draco let out a fancy curse and dropped out. So it was just Harry and Severus.

Catch the ball. Catch it. Severus was close. So close. He and another hand tanner than his own were just grazing it. Just as they reached the castle Harry shot forward an extra inch and grabbed the ball.

Mission complete. Harry made a sharp dive while Severus rolled and pulled his broom up. So close. So close to the stone that he could feel the magic buzzing just on the surface. He directed himself to the top of the tower and jumped off the broom, landing roughly on his knees. Vomit left him in a tidal wave, splashing on the stone and hitting his hands. That had been horrible, shutting down like that until there was nothing. Nothing to see or hear or feel or think about and then—then remembering it. Horrifying, almost. Another upheaval. Never again. He couldn't do that again. He didn't have anything left to give when Harry's laughter reached his ears.

Oh no.

Severus scrambled to his feet and quickly banished the mess far away, casting cleaning spells on his hands and using a mouthwash to freshen his breath. By the time he turned around Harry dropped from the broom to see his brother looking completely normal and _not_ traumatized.

"I got it Sev! I was so fast— _you_ were so fast!" Harry whooped, grabbing him and shaking his shoulders.

"I believe you have a knack for flying," Severus complimented with a smile.

"Me? You were going so fast I thought I would have to push you to win!" Harry laughed, cheeks rosy and eyes glittering.

"My, my. That was quite impressive," a voice noted. Harry and Severus whirled to the source to see a brown skinned woman with big, dark eyes and a hijab hiding her hair. She sat upon a blanket with a small picnic in front of her. She gave them a small smile, "oh do not mind me boys. I find Minnie's tower to have the better energy around this time of year."

"How long have you been there?" Severus demanded, red tinting his cheeks. He had been too distracted, she could have been a dangerous witch, not the Astrology Professor. And she probably saw his embarrassing display.

"Time is but an illusion we humans invented. I am always here and yet always not," she took a sip of her tea. "I think I am supposed to take points and give you detention but it is such a lovely day. The stars will shine so brightly tonight and Venus is truly leaning in favor of forgiving…" a bite of cheesecake. She sighed then turned her eyes to the skies. "I suggest you boys hurry back to class lest you be caught by a teacher less knowing of the stars. By walking, Mr. Potter." She gave the emerald eyed boy a Look when he attempted to straddle his broom once more.

"Thank you, Professor Sinistra," Severus nodded, grateful to not have to fly back. The witch blinked as though she hadn't expected him to know her name then gave him a nod back, a grin pulling at her full lips.

"Chocolate soothes a troubled stomach," she responded, holding out a chocolate bar.

—+

Severus was sure they had gotten away with it when Madam Hooch came back and merely raised a brow in his direction and continued on with class. But in the middle of dinner, Severus quickly testing his plate, cup and then each food and drink he put on either (or lifted into the mouth of his raven) he was approached by his Head of House. Well, not approached. Hinojosa simply directed a look at Greengrass who got the message to find seating further down then she took a seat beside him, barely casting a glance to the bird on his shoulder.

"You seem to gain a lot of points for our House which makes me proud. However… your detention with Lupin was moved until a half hour later for a meeting with McGonagall immediately after dinner. Why is that?" Hinojosa asked in that unexcited way of hers.

"I was not aware of that," Severus admitted with a half shrug, grabbing a handful of convenient seeds and holding them up to her beak. The girl frowned then turned her dark gaze several seats down to a familiar overly muscular boy. Oh, it was the idiot who deemed it smart to engage him in a battle of wits. Sebastian Snyder.

"Is there something you would like to say, Snyder?" She demanded sharply. He remained silent, not even pausing from shoveling food into his mouth and this did not please Hinojosa one bit. The cool silver of her hair began to bleed red (a metamorphmagus!) and her voice became colder, so cold that it drew the attention of half the table, "You did not pass on an important message to a fellow Slytherin, thus putting him in a position to be punished. That is unacceptable. So. Explain. Now."

"I want to formally challenge Severus Potter," Snyder replied around a mouthful of chicken. Severus wasn't sure what this meant but it was something to draw the attention of the other half of the table.

"Seriously, Snyder? A flimsy little first year? He probably hasn't even gone to Defense yet," Flint, the Seeker and captain of their Quidditch team, mocked. Snyder didn't reply, biting viciously into the chicken in front of him. Hinojosa stared at him, her face smoothing back into its custom expression and her hair losing its color.

"Very well. You will submit a Challenge form then I will make my decision," the girl sighed then she turned her attention back to him, "I will have all of the first years gather in my rooms tonight to explain what he means but first it is you and I." She picked up a worm and held it up to his bird. Being a greedy thing, she pecked it out of her hand immediately and allowed the girl to stroke along her head. "Your bird is familiar, very familiar. It was brought to my attention that you received detention which surprised me. It is only your first day but I hear that it was merely a… misunderstanding between an artist and an oaf. Your brother will also join you in that detention, correct?"

"He received it after I left, defending my honor," Severus said proudly. Even though it was a little foolish and unnecessary.

"Yes, I spoke a little to your brother during lunch. You were not there… I will not force you but I expect all of my snakes to keep up with basic health by regularly eating, bathing and getting fresh air. You should have more vegetables," She continued to idly pet his bird but he knew a command when he heard one so he added a scoop of vegetables to his plate. "McGonagall sent a message down to Lupin and rearranged detention to start half an hour after dinner. So you are to report to her first for a discussion. Do you know why?"

There were a few reasons why, of course. The first being that he had used magic in the library to summon those books to the displeasure of Madam Pince however he also profusely apologized to her and swore to never do it again and her ire seemed to almost disappear when she saw it was him and they even conversed for a bit. Second there was also the case of his bird. She wasn't on the list of approved animals. Third, he had threatened that pretty boy (his name turned out to be Cedric Diggory) who had called him 'Red'. Quite verbally. And nastily. But the boy hadn't seemed sufficiently scared in his opinion, had given him a smile and formally introduced himself and everything with a bow and laughter in his eyes. He should have hexed him blind right then. Oh. And, lastly, there was the flying thing.

"No, I cannot fathom a single reason why Professor McGonagall would want to see me," Severus lied. Hinojosa hummed mutely and silently went to eating her food.

—+

"Oh man, do you think she knows?" Harry whispered as they walked the dark corridors, scratching idly at his scar.

"Knows what?"

"About the flying!"

"I have not a single clue of what you're talking about."

"You know at flying class when we raced for Neville's rememball and…?" Severus finally turned his head to face his twin and wondered if his brother was truly dense or distracted by his apparently itchy forehead. Severus moved the boy's hand away and saw that it was terribly inflamed.

"Harry, what happened?" He demanded, leaning close to the bolt scar. It didn't seem infected and his brother didn't look to have been cursed. It just looked like Harry had been scratching at it constantly.

"To what? Ooh, my forehead. Well it itches, obviously," Harry rolled his eyes. Severus pulled back to give him a curious look to which he sighed and explained, "It's usually at dinner but it happens randomly when I'm walking down the hall or like on my way to Hagrid's hut." The curious look got more intense. "On the first night here it was just pain like someone stabbed me right in the middle of my scar but then I meditated and it dimmed to just this itch."

"It's itching now?" Severus poked gently at the red skin and his raven stared intently at him.

"No, it stopped as soon as we got away from the Great Hall. Well it dimmed a lot but it's completely stopped now," Harry sighed.

"Hm, that's odd… did you do anything today?" Severus casually continued on their walk. There weren't many things he could think of that would cause Harry's rune to itch so now it was another mystery to be solved. He sighed. He loved a good mystery but at this point it was getting overbearing. He listened idly to the excited chatter of his brother. Apparently the boy went down to Hagrid's hut with Ron and discovered that the giant was a blabber mouth. Severus tucked that information for later, it would certainly be useful to him. He revealed that a vault containing something powerful had an attempted break in right around their birthday so they took this something and hid it here. In the castle. With students.

"He said that it's really guarded by things from each professor so I guess it's locked up tight," Harry shrugged.

"I bet we could get by it blindfolded especially if Lupin designed a potion based trap," Severus wrinkled his nose. Harry burst into laughter, unable to control it even as they entered the classroom and walked to their transfiguration professor's office.

"I'll wait here," Harry giggled. He held out his arm to transfer the bird to his shoulder, petting her under the chin.

"Hello Mr. Potter, do I hear Mr. Potter in my class?" Professor McGonagall asked, her back to him as she replaced a few books on her shelf.

"Yes, Harry insisted he come with me and I did not protest," Severus took the provided seat in front of her desk. This didn't give the atmosphere of an interrogation or a scolding. When she turned around it was with a gentle smile. She settled into her seat then just… stared at him. She seemed to be looking him over with a familiar fondness that he wasn't sure whether or not he liked.

"How are you enjoying Hogwarts so far?" She finally broke the silence. She waved her wand and a tea set came floating over.

"It is only my first day but it is interesting," Severus accepted the cup from her. He checked for alterations just as he had with his dinner and declined sugar.

"Have you discovered our library yet?"

"Yes, it is very impressive. My ma did not do it justice."

"Oh that is wonderful… you know… I knew your godfather and namesake, Severus Snape," Professor McGonagall looked at him over her glasses. Severus perked up at that though the information was logically unsurprising. "He was a brilliant if not withdrawn boy and he did not change much as a man. He was a great chess player, we would play for hours sometimes. And when he spoke… well, I believe you would have enjoyed his company very much." She was not wrong. Snape was an interesting, almost mysterious man who made an excellent teacher even as a portrait. He spoke of potions in such high regards that Severus was sure he inspired any student he taught. Not only that but his knowledge of the Dark Arts might be unmatched (at least until Severus graduated) and he was a formidable chess player. Severus had only beaten him once in their many games.

"You remind me of him. He liked Quidditch too," she continued. Severus beat back the bile in the back of his throat. So he and Snape had something they disagreed on, he supposed it was bound to happen. Severus paused as he realized just what the woman was implying. She had seen him—seen them flying. Against school rules.

"I—."

"Oh don't bother denying it. I saw your amazing control over the broom and I decided talent like that shouldn't be wasted. Typically it would be your Head of House offering this but… well, that situation is quite odd… would you like to join the Slytherin Quidditch team? I think you will make a wonderful seeker," Professor McGonagall smiled softly. No. Never. Not in a million and five years. He wouldn't even consider getting on another broom more than ten feet off the ground and even that made his stomach churn and his hands sweat. He couldn't stand the heat.

"If you saw my flying that means you saw Harry's as well. His dive was a much smarter move, one he instinctively performed. Not to mention, he won our race," Severus took a long sip from his cup.

—+

Harry could finally say that the first day of school had been a complete and total success. He was on the Quidditch team. As in officially a _seeker_ on the Gryffindor Quidditch team! Nothing could dampen his mood! Not even cleaning dirty cauldrons. In fact, he was glad that he was cleaning because all this energy had to go somewhere before he went to bed. Harry looked over his shoulder to see Severus diligently writing his lines, head bowed in concentration and mouth moving quickly as though sounding out words and his wand's tip was waving just barely under the desk. Harry wondered why he had to concentrate for 'I will follow directions given to me by my professor and textbook'. Sure he had to fill out the whole scroll but still, it was pretty simple stuff.

Harry rinsed his last cauldron and placed it to the side.

"I am finished Professor," Severus said as though sensing that Harry was done.

"Thank you, Mr. Potter. I do not mean to stop you from expressing your creativity but potions are dangerous and delicate. You could seriously hurt someone by altering ingredients or directions. You were lucky this time but next time you might explode the entire lab," Professor Lupin explained gently.

"Quite right you are. Harry is finished as well," Severus pointed. Harry took that as his cue to join his brother.

"Thank you, Mr. Potter. I trust you will not speak to a professor like that again?" Professor Lupin quirked a brow. Harry nodded though he would speak to whoever however if they insulted his brother. The benign man looked him over, staring so intently at his face that Harry wondered if there was something on it. "You know, you have your mother's eyes. But you look just like your dad…"

"You seem to be the same age as our parents were, did you know them?" Severus tilted his head curiously. It always warmed Harry's heart when he claimed their parents as his own.

"Y—I erm, well it's late. You boys should be headed for bed," Professor Lupin seemed very busy with a whole lotta nothing, fiddling with Severus's paper. Weird. And it was so obviously weird. Severus shrugged and grabbed his hand, dragging him from the classroom.

"He's totally hiding something," Harry frowned, "Don't you want to grill him until he talks? He knows about our mum and dad!"

"There are so many mysteries in this school, Professor Lupin is literally the least interesting… actually…" Severus thought of the potion bubbling away in the man's office. It smelled like rotting entrails or something equally as horrible so he couldn't separate ingredients but the way it was being brewed. Entirely silver. It was intriguing in its own way.

"What do you think they're hiding here?" Harry asked idly, watching Severus's bird hop beside them. She seemed to like it in the castle, he was sure her feathers were already growing faster and she was much cheerier.

"Well, the Founders had a lot of treasures, stolen or otherwise. Godric was a notorious thief of various weapons, jewels and tools and Rowena of knowledge before they created Hogwarts," Severus noted, "It could be someone attempted to get their ancestors belongings back. Or it could be something else. Perhaps something dangerous."

"Anything can be dangerous in the right hands," Harry frowned. He scooped Severus's bird into his hands as they started on the rotating stairs.

"True. What do you imagine?"

"Well… what if it's like the Glove of Zeus?" Harry clapped his hand. Severus couldn't stop himself from rolling his eyes. Harry was obsessed with the Glove of Zeus, an artifact that allowed the wearer to harness lightning in their hand and throw it at will or have it come crashing from the skies. It was also cursed to never leave the wearer's hand and to drain their life as a source of power. The only way to stay alive more than a week would be to drain the life of others as a counteractive. "Ooh! Ooh! What if it's like a potion that can like make you all powerful or give you all the knowledge in the world?"

"No such potion exists," Severus sighed, "There are the All Seeing Eyes of God but that simply allows you to see all, not know all. And it's not a potion. It's a mythical curse."

"I bet you could make a potion like that though! I bet you could invent a potion to make you fly without a broom or something that could make you live forever." Harry scratched idly at his scar as they finally made it to the Fat Lady. She was sleeping in her chair, snoring away. "You wanna come in? See my room? Maybe spend the night?"

"You miss me already?" Severus teased gently.

"Of course," Harry chirped, still scratching at his scar. Severus gave a look around. There was someone or something around them, he could feel it but… he gave Harry a smile.

"My Head of House is waiting for me." So was Draco. "I'll give you one more week of fun and we're starting our lessons back up. I don't like this itching scar thing."

"Yeah, yeah. Be safe going back to your dorm," Harry yawned.

"Safety is my middle name," Severus took his bird back.

—+

Severus whistled in the dark halls. A slow, slow tune that he must have heard somewhere. He walked slowly, a tired raven perched on his shoulder. Someone was following him. He could hear it now that they were in the echoing dungeons. They tried to match his steps with theirs but were unsuccessful. It could be Snyder or perhaps Dumbledore. No, no. Neither of those made sense. Dumbledore was more than powerful enough to mask his presence, maybe even mask his magic and Snyder was… challenging him and he doubted he would ruin that by stalking him to the dorms where they both slept.

"Just come out," Severus sighed, finally coming to a stop. Silence greeted him. Severus turned to face the darkness, wand in a tight grip and a hex on his tongue. He chewed on his lip and pulled his brows together and added a tremor to his voice, "Please, I know you're there. Just come out. You're scaring me."

Squeak!

Slowly, a rat came crawling from the darkness and into the dim light. Severus fell to his knees with a relieved smile and held out a hand, sliding his wand partially up his sleeve.

"Aww, you must be someone's familiar. Come here boy," he cooed. The rat sniffed the air and slowly, slowly crept to him. As soon as he was in reaching distance Severus snatched him off the ground and held him in a death like grip. "You are an odd _rat_!" He hissed, baring his teeth at the creature. No animal ever approached him, not even if it was in distress. But this one did. Suspicious. It squeaked and wiggled in his hand, desperately trying to get away. Severus pressed his wand right where it's tiny heart pounded away. Animagus, he bet this rat was a wizard, the question was who. "Who are you?"

"Severus?" A voice called behind him. Severus whipped his head around to tell the person to piss off but was startled as little teeth dug hard into his wand hand. With a yelp he released the rat and it practically flew down the dark hall. "Was that a rat!? People need to get a hold of their familiars before one becomes a side dish for my owl. She's a rather vicious breed." Slim hands landed atop of his and a light appeared to assess the damage. He looked up past the light to see Pansy.

"What are you doing out so late?" Severus asked suspiciously.

"You're going to have to show this Hinojosa to see if you need any potions. And I was out looking for you. Draco has been whining up and down that you're missing and we're all staying up for you so we can get that stupid speech and just what are you doing out here playing with rats?" Pansy demanded as she helped him to his feet.

"I walked Harry back to his dorms," Severus shrugged.

"He's a Gryffindor. They can take care of themselves," Pansy did a motion that seemed as though she might be flipping her hair but it was too short to have the proper effect. "Except maybe my potions partner. That twit will probably be crying in the bathroom in another week."

"Twit?" Hermione? He didn't think that was the proper description for someone like that bushy haired Know It All.

"Well she is smart, I give her that but she cares sooo much about other people's opinions. Like sooo much," Pansy groaned and her nose wrinkled disapprovingly, "if she wasn't my partner I bet I could make her cry in two days but it's people like Greengrass and Bulstrode, some Ravenclaw boys she embarrassed and Brown working on her and I can already tell that even a group as big as that barely have two brain cells to rub together. Saying it'll take them a week to break her is me being generous. Those lot will probably need a month."

"I suppose you won't defend her then?" Severus smirked. Pansy noticed a lot, probably to exploit people and those were the sort of ears and eyes he would need. Pansy looked at him from the corner of her eyes and gave him a wicked smile that promised pain.

"If she starts to slip I will make them wish they were never born."

The wall hiding their dorms slid open before they could utter the password and Hinojosa stood there, face blank and hair silver.

"I thought I would have to send a team," she commented. She moved to the side and gestured for them to go into her room. It felt twice as big as it actually was seeing as there was practically nothing inside. Her bed, a desk and her trunk. No pictures, no books lying around. Severus wondered if she even slept in this room as he climbed upon the firm bed to sit with his year mates. Hinojosa pulled the seat from her desk and sat in front of them. She was silent for what felt like a long time, long enough to make several of them squirm and Crabbe to start dozing.

Then, finally, she uttered one word.

"Challenges."

TBC

I hope you all enjoyed fingers crossed.

As a side note I actually forgot that there's like an actual main baddie. He worked hard to get his villain status so there he be!

As another side not I just realized Felix Fix It is Fix It Felix from Wreck it Ralph! Hilarious! I don't own that! There's also a anime reference in this chapter. Congrats on who finds it!

Also also I want you all to love both my babies. They're precious and deserve it and I wouldn't want either to be disliked. But you're allowed your feelings. Feel them!

Third also! In the prequel Dumbledore and Harry didn't meet cause Harry was gardening 'with' Petunia.

That's it! See y'all next week!


	9. Goddammit Issa Another Mystery

Happy Holidays! Unless you dont celebrate (like moi) in which case happy day off (hopefully)!

Warnings: mentions of suicide

—+

It didn't take the Slytherins long to realize that a House without a proper adult was just the perfect combination for many, many problems. So they came up with a student Head of House however a different sort of problem arose with that. If the current Head of House brought in-House disputes to the attention of other teachers or the Headmaster the students involved got in trouble—excessive trouble that they get no other House would receive. Thus the Challenge was born. If there was an argument between two or more individuals, one was allowed to issue a formal Challenge to the Head of House. This challenge would be a task of their choosing either a duel or a contest. After the challenge there was no taunting of the loser and no gloating from the winner. The entire matter was to be dropped and harmony was to be reinstated. Challenges could also be issued towards being Head of House in the middle of a term or to be Captain of the Quidditch team.

"Captains are Challenged nearly every year but there has only been one case of a Head of House being Challenged," Hinojosa leaned back in her chair and crossed her legs. A snicker sounded from the door and the first years turned to see Cooperman, the Head Boy. He was leaned against the frame, arms crossed and amusement smoothing his features.

"Coraline will not say but it was her that Challenged our previous Head of House," Cooperman revealed.

"Rosier was ineffective," she sniffed delicately.

"She sent Sterling to the Hospital Wing for a month," Cooperman continued.

"The Hospital Wing?" Goyle repeated slowly.

"If it is a contest, it continues until someone succeeds or fails. If it is a duel then it continues until someone gives up or is unconscious for more than thirty seconds. Sterling was very persistent," Hinojosa explained. She turned her eyes to Severus, looking at him with a bit of, perhaps, sympathy, "It is most likely that Snyder will want to duel. However, it is also very cowardly of him to issue you a Challenge so I will allow you the chance to say no—you are a first year after all. It is your choice."

Severus considered this. He could say no and perhaps have no repercussions from his fellow year mates. As Hinojosa and Flint said, Snyder was a fourth year and it was highly inappropriate and unfair of him to even think about Challenging him. Anyone could understand why he wouldn't want to duel the older student. Also, to duel him and win Severus would need to use advanced spells that probably even the seventh years never heard of which would reveal knowledge on himself that may or may not make him a target.

On the other hand there was little doubt in his mind that that slab of muscles would continue to come for him in smaller, annoying ways should he refuse. These ways would probably impede or even expose his investigations which he could not allow. Also, most importantly, he could use this opportunity to impress upon his House mates that he was to be left alone unless they wanted to be how Severus planned to leave Snyder.

Yes, yes. It was never too early to teach a lesson.

"I will accept his Challenge."

—+

"Are. You. Insane?" Draco demanded as soon as they retired to their shared bedroom. Blaise chuckled and threw an arm around his shoulder in such a familiar way that Severus almost saw hazel eyes but Nate never had such a peculiar gleam in his eyes or a sharpness in his smile.

"He will make Snyder his House Elf," Blaise squeezed him once then released him to strip for bed. He stretched before he climbed in, looking over his shoulder to send an amused smile and wink, "I know talent when I see it. This Potter has talent."

"Talent? Talent won't stop him from getting—shut up Blaise. You just want to watch someone get torn apart you sadistic clown! Severus, decline the Challenge," Draco demanded. Severus raised a brow at the boy. Perhaps the boy thought him to be Snyder or one of his lackeys that followed him around like mindless sheep. Draco sputtered wordlessly as Severus silently headed to the bathroom, perhaps shocked that he hadn't been immediately obeyed. Severus waited patiently for the boy to follow him then waited some more for the sputtering to stop before he sent a locking charm to the door.

"You owe me information," Severus finally addressed the blond. Draco's eyes widened then narrowed in the same second and a frown twisted his features.

"You think I'm going to—."

"Draco, do not break a promise to me." Severus cut off coolly, unimpressed. He wondered if the boy knew just how desperate he was for this information, that he was willing to physically or even mentally harm him for it. He had a wand now, he knew the spell that would allow him to tear right into his mind and find how his—their godfather died. But he resisted if just barely. He was going to be at Hogwarts for seven years and facing that with just Harry had his side was not a viable choice. He could do it but it wouldn't be smart. He needed allies especially in a House all on its own. Besides, he and Draco were almost family and he would certainly not hurt Harry. Severus took a deep breath and looked deep into Draco's eyes, speaking softly, "Do not go back on your word. Please."

"Fine," Draco stomped his foot dramatically. He dragged his eyes away from Severus and to the sinks behind him. There was a hesitation, an air of shame surrounding him which confused the red haired boy. "Uncle Sev… he… um… four years ago..."

"What? How did he die?" Severus urged, fingers itching to grab the boy. Why did he look like that? Why—?

"Hekilledhimself!" Draco blurted.

"What?" Severus frowned. He didn't catch even a bit of that. Draco looked pained and a slight tremble overtook his body.

"Don't make me say it again," Draco whispered. Severus continued to stare at him with the same expression until Draco took a deep breath and uttered words that caused his heart to freeze and his lungs to be suddenly unable to breathe in the top thick air. "Uncle Sev… killed... himself."

"What?" No. What? Life was… suicide was… no. Wizards and witches didn't kill themselves. It was taboo, a sin worse than murder. It was disgraceful, a dirty secret to be covered up and ignored. Families would rather make up stories of their loved ones being brutally murdered than admit that they killed themselves. They would rather vanish the evidence and put out searches for their supposedly kidnapped relatives. So to say that Severus Snape _killed_ himself was on par to defamation of character!

"He… he told Dumbledore that he was going on his sabbatical and he told my father that… he sent his patronus and told him that he had gotten a lead on a…" tears filled Draco's eyes and he took a wet, shuddering breath, "he said he was working on some amazing potion that needed near constant attention. Then he just… Dumbledore contacted us and told us that he never left Hogwarts. He… he killed… he did it here. Right in his rooms. My father kept everyone from finding out and crafted a story about a potions accident but..."

"Stop saying that," Severus demanded before the actual words could fall from the boy's lips again. Snape didn't kill himself. He met Snape, talked with him every night since first discovering his portrait in his vault. That man was brilliant and full of life and passion even as enchanted paint. Snape did not give up and take his life. No. No. _No._

"You think I want to say all this? My father, Dumbledore and I are the _only ones_ who know the truth. And now you," Draco hissed, eyes narrowed through the tears.

"I…" What was he to say? He wanted to tell the boy that he didn't believe him. He would never believe him until they dug up the man's corpse and tested it for poison. He wouldn't believe him until they used the darkest magic possible and ripped his soul from the Underworld to question it. He wouldn't even consider such hearsay until a confession fell from the man's lips and he saw and heard it for himself.

"My father didn't let me see him but he gave him a grand funeral and buried him with family—our family. Before he… well, Uncle Sev left me some memories," Draco reaches inside his robe and pulled out a vial connected to a necklace. Inside a smoky memory swirled and twirled around. Severus stared numbly, making out perhaps a figure or two but he wouldn't look at the boy. He didn't think he could ever look at Draco again. "This one is my favorite so I never take it off. He looks so… so happy holding me."

"I…" Severus tried to bring moisture to his dry lips, tried to push out words that made sense and weren't just his insane ideas to bring the man back from the dead to question him. Because he couldn't. He wouldn't believe it. Never. No. Snape. Killed. Himself.

"It's okay," Draco pulled him into a tight hug. "It is horrible but it is okay." Severus wrapped his arms right around the other and silently buried his head into his shoulder, trying to smother himself in his clothes. Tears heavier than he could manage fell onto his shoulder as Draco shook and shuddered in his returned grasp.

Together the boys sat in the bathroom for a long, long time.

—+

"Seeeev!" Harry moaned dramatically as he plopped down beside the boy. He dropped his head onto his brother's shoulder and tiredly stole the fork from his hand to scoop some eggs into his own mouth. It was seasoned just right and tasted even better coming from Severus's plate as most things did. It was another restless night accompanied by an itchy forehead morning. Seriously, what was it about the Great Hall that made his forehead itch so badly? Maybe he should ask Severus to start their lessons back up sooner rather than later.

"Harry, make your own plate," Severus frowned, pulling his food away as the stolen fork attempted to go for his waffles. He was going to bite his twin in another second.

"Nooooo," Harry managed to snag a quarter of the fluffy goodness and shoved it into his mouth before Severus could stop him. The boy bared his teeth in a way that warned Harry of the impending bite should he continue this way.

"What is a Gryffindor doing at our table?" Pansy yawned (somehow) snidely as she took her seat across from Severus.

"Eating breakfast with my bro-bro," Harry replied chipperly, suddenly filled with enough energy to sit up and grab food for a plate of his own. Severus shook his head at the boy's foolishness and beat back the distracting happiness the statement brought him. He needed to hurry up and take the precious time he had before class to go to the library. He had decided that he didn't believe Draco almost as soon as he awakened from his thirty minute nap.

This wasn't to say that Severus thought that the boy was purposely lying to him, they had spent nearly twenty minutes in that bathroom before Draco could even compose himself enough to face the rest of their dorm mates and even then he was sure the boy had sobbed himself to sleep. Draco truly believed that their godfather had… killed himself but Severus suspected something much more dastardly. A coverup, he was sure of it. He would find the truth… somehow.

"Ooh the other Potter," Blaise propped his face upon his hand and gave Harry a grin although his eyes remained closed, "Have you missed our Severus so much that you've thrown yourself into the snake pit?"

"I'd throw myself in a literal snake pit for this guy," Harry bumped Severus with his shoulder. He looked among the first years as he chewed on the delicious sausages and swallowed before he asked. "Has he made friends with you guys?"

"H-Harry!" Severus choked on his orange juice, face rapidly turning pink.

"Oh yes. I am his very best friend already. Isn't that right tereso?" Blaise awakened enough to wink charmingly. Severus resisted the urge to roll his eyes. There was something odd about the boy, something he couldn't quite put his finger on but he still liked him.

"Do not believe the lies that tumble from his lips. Blaise is insane," Draco sat heavily on Severus's other side, all trace of sorrow gone.

"Ooh, are you Sev's best friend?" Harry beamed around his mouthful of sausage. Severus was not embarrassed and he did not feel the urge to bury his face in his hands.

"He and I are practically family," Draco replied with his nose in the air.

"Hmm? How?" Oh Merlin. Severus wasn't keeping Harry updated on anything! He fixed his attention on his food and silently commanded Draco to shut his mouth. But of course he hadn't practiced imperio in so long, never silently or with a wand…

"Purebloods take godparents very seriously. Snape was like an uncle to me and even if he hadn't gotten to meet the man, he was still his godfather as well." Harry hummed at this revelation, green eyes boring into the side of Severus's face. Was it Harry or did Severus seem extremely interested in the eggs? What an amazing coincidence.

"I am going to the library before Charms." Severus stood as casually as he could, ignoring the silent accusations being glared into him.

Harry watched his twin leave, a frown forming on his face. Severus was already keeping secrets and they literally just got to Hogwarts! He didn't know that Snape had another godson and who knows how long Severus knew that. Oh but he told him that the greatest wizard in the world was actually evil (which he still couldn't wrap his head around enough to believe) but he couldn't tell him this?! Well, two can play it that game. He could solve mysteries and be mysterious too.

In fact… he was going to figure out what was being hidden in Hogwarts AND who was trying to steal it. Yup! That's exactly what he was going to do. As soon as he figured out where to start.

"Why does he look like that?" A girl's voiced asked nervously.

"It might be his plotting face. Dio mio he is an open book," the sleepy boy replied, highly amused from the sound of it. Harry ignored them both though the thought of asking for their help did occur but they were Slytherins and thus loyal to Severus. They would rat him out in mere seconds no… he cast his eyes to the Gryffindor table where Ron was watching him curiously. He smiled and waved.

No doubt Ron would help him in his adventure _and_ keep it a secret. But they would also need brains…

—+

Albus sat at the Head Table, observing his students. Or just two students in particular. Severus and Harry. He subtly shifted in his seat and stopped himself from wincing. He could hardly believe that Severus had hit him with a bone shattering spell. Normally he would have blocked such an attack but he literally did not see it coming and couldn't properly register the meaning of the spell being spat from such a young person. Had he not had his protection amulet around his neck, Albus had no doubt that his sternum would have erupted into shards that would have pierced his heart and killed him almost instantly. To think that he, the most powerful wizard alive would have been killed by a mere child. He shook his head and gave the red haired boy a smile when brown eyes darted in his direction.

He was not angry about the attack. No, no. In fact he was quite happy. It showed that being coddled and babied by muggles had not rubbed away his rough edges. He was still the nasty, mean viper that he had been when he entered Hogwarts so many years ago. Which meant that he probably still had a thirst for recognition, knowledge and power. He would slip into darkness as he had before and then return to the light like a circle completing its curve.

The one true question was if Albus should manipulate the boys. He had several ideas in mind that involved turning the 'brothers' against each other or driving a wedge so far apart that they wouldn't even be able to hear each other. The first may be easier as he already knew Severus. He hated to be ignored, for his accomplishments to be insignificant… if he gathered Harry and only Harry under his wing then that would surely rub Severus wrong. One might wonder why he didn't attempt to stop Severus from making the same mistakes, turning into the same man he had been but then one would not understand—.

"Good morning Head, er, I mean Albus," Remus smiled just a bit awkwardly. The werewolf hadn't been his first choice in potions Professor (not that anyone could replace the brilliance of Severus Snape), in fact he was sure that the man would thrive amazingly well as a defense teacher but the curse on that position made that difficult. He needed the man close for the greater good until he served his purpose and also for the man's own good. The light inside of him dimmed just a bit after Sirius's betrayal and Severus's 'death'. No one but he and Minerva knew that Severus was once again a child, everyone else believing him a victim of a potions accident or suicide in the case of Malfoy and Lupin as he knew they would never believe such a flimsy explanation.

"Hello, my boy. How are you feeling?" Albus inquired, taking a sip of his sugary tea.

"Very well. I think Peter and I are getting better at the potion. I was much more comfortable this time around," Remus began to make a plate. Four years. Albus marveled at the fact that it took two perfectly capable and smart wizards four years to figure out a potion that Severus created when he was nineteen—with instructions. He would scold the men for being less talented but that is exactly what Severus had been. Talented. Exceptionally so. Sometimes he thought that had he took a different path the first time around, paid more attention to the former man he would have made an even better asset to the Light. But it was too late for that, even now when Severus sat but mere meters away from him, an impressionable child.

"Where is young Peter?" Albus cast his eyes over Remus's shoulder. Wherever the werewolf was so was the animagus. And yet, this morning he didn't seem to be anywhere to be found.

"Oh he was patrolling last night and received quite the scare apparently. It took me ten minutes to get him to transform back," Remus frowned, popping a cube of bloody steak into his mouth. "I think he may have tried to check on the treasure."

"Fluffy isn't fond of rats," Albus noted with only a little bit of amusement.

"No he isn't… do you…" Remus started to ask then paused. Albus patiently waited for the man to finish, "Do you ever miss Severus? He was mean as the devil but he… that boy is named after him so he had to have a soft side even if he only showed it to Lily. She never would have named him godfather if she thought him less deserving. Not only that but he created a potion that helped werewolves even if his note said it was for his own gain."

"Note?" Albus tilted his head. He hadn't seen a note with the scroll he had given the younger wizard. Remus blinked in surprise then lowered his voice a bit as he continued.

"Severus started sending me the potion about a year before he died in that 'accident'," Remus's brow furrowed a bit as he continued, "I thought you knew that. After all, he made it seem as though you were forcing him and he agreed because I was a convenient test subject."

"Oh… yes, yes. I was so distraught after finding him, I suppose it slipped this old man's mind," Albus lied. He hadn't and wouldn't have had Severus doing such a thing as it served no purpose in advancing the Light. The potion came in handy now that Remus worked for him at the school but that was now. Back then he rarely gave the man a stray thought. Remus placed a comforting hand on his and gave him a soft, warm look.

"I know it was hard for you to see him like that. You were probably his only friend besides Lily and even then she died long before her time."

He thought back to finding Severus, so small and young. His lab had been completely destroyed, vials and cauldron pieces and bits of wall scattered everywhere. He thought he would find Severus dead body under the biggest slab of stone but what greeted him was a young boy, eyes open and unseeing but chest heaving. The boy certainly didn't look like the Severus he knew, round blue eyes and long brown hair. He certainly hadn't responded to the name, simply staring at the destroyed ceiling and breathing. Albus was sure that the boy didn't even feel the broken arm or the scrapes covering his little, round face. But more importantly, looking over the boy he recognized that magical core almost immediately. This shocked boy was most definitely Severus Snape. His Severus. His potions master. His professor. His _spy._ It took all his strength to not fly into a rage right then and there. That day his nails had carved painful crescents into his palms as he held himself from shaking the boy until he responded. He needed to know what happened. He needed to know how to reverse this travesty!

This was _not_ how this was supposed to go!

"Yes, Yes. It was very hard."

—+

Remus watched the little red haired boy as he poured over nearly a dozen books all at the same time. A part of him wanted to approach him, find out what he was researching so early in the year and commend him on his obvious brilliance but the other part of him had orders and rules. He wasn't to engage either Potter boy, even if it was so hard to look at Harry and not hug him within an inch of his life. He changed the boy's diaper for Merlin's sake! But an order was an order. And not just that but Severus was a Slytherin. The Professors did not engage the Slytherins, not even in class. They were left to their own devices and punished if those devices traveled outside of their House. It was an unspoken rule that made his skin itch but the way they had viciously attacked Peter when all he had done was try to help them… well, at least their current Head of House had a good head on her shoulder. Coraline really was a sweet girl.

Of course Remus was willing to break all the unspoken rules, wanted to break them but if he treated Severus Potter differently than the other snakes, there was no doubt that they would turn on him and rip him to pieces. He saw it happen to Snape when he was friends with Lily.

"Can I help you?" A voice asked in a horribly bored tone. Remus flinched as he realized that Severus had not only noticed him but snuck up close enough to touch.

"Um, Er, well," Remus cleared his throat. This was just a child! A child he thought dead but still just a child. He could very well form his words properly to speak to him.

"What're you reading?!" He boomed much too loudly, wincing as the words echoed in the practically empty library. Severus eyed him suspiciously then cast a look around.

"Why do you care?" He finally asked.

"Oh I don't—wait, not like I don't care about your interests—I mean I don't because you're a student like all my students I just met and it's not like…"

"Are you having a stroke?" The redhead tilted his head, long hair sliding over his shoulder and for a second he looked like Lily so much that his breath caught in his throat. It was impossible not to see how much Harry favored James, impossible to look away from that similarity but now that there was just this little boy...

"You should tell Harry about our parents. The stories will make him happy," Severus continued, pushing the red strands out of his face.

"I'm unsure what you mean…?" Remus chuckled, scratching at the back of his head. Severus didn't bother to stare at him for a second longer, simply pulling a book from his (illegally) enlarged pocket. Remus gulped. It was a yearbook. How did Severus find that? He and Peter removed every yearbook from their years the day they learned that the Potter twins were coming to Hogwarts, he even burned his own, personal copies.

"Unfortunately for you, I became bored during my search for something more entertaining and I found this." Here a smirk that was nothing like Lily and all like Snape sprawled across his little face. "There are no less than ten pictures of you and either of our parents and that is just in this surprisingly lone yearbook. You all were quite close. Close enough to be called the 'Marauders'—asinine name."

"Um…" Remus was not panicking. He wasn't. He went through things that no one should ever go through, no matter their age. He lived in caves, fought for dominance nearly daily and he slept in the same vicinity as _Fenrir fucking Greyback_! There was no way that this little kid made him nervous. No. Bloody. Way.

"So you _ran!?_ " Peter wheezed, kicking his legs and practically falling out of his chair. Remus glared at the chubby man.

"I did _not_ run. I… walked very fast," Remus defended, pacing a small square on the cheap little rug in the teacher's lounge. Peter began to cackle even louder.

"It sounds like you ran, Mr. Lupin," Mc—Minerva noted, not even lowering her book.

"I-I do s-s-see a lot of Sev-Sever-rus Severus in the b-boy s-so I under-understand the f-f-fear," Quinarius practically whispered. Remus crossed his arms. He hadn't been _scared._

"A name does have magic of its own. No doubt the nastiness of Snivellus poisoned the kid," Peter snickered, earning a glare from their former professor and a flinch from Remus. The werewolf was suddenly glad that his friend did not know the true circumstances of the potion master's death and even happier that he was bound by an Unbreakable Vow as there was no doubt in his mind that Peter would bring it up any chance he got. It was like he never grew up, at least where Snape was involved.

"I-um, yes. I h-have to go. W-wish m-m-me l-luck!" The pale, skinny man suddenly shot to his feet and half ran-half stumbled out of the door. He was such a strange man and a nervous one too.

"Those kids are going to eat him alive," Aurora hummed, holding her tea with just the tips of her fingers.

"No I think he has it," Pomona said in that encouraging way of hers, "we have such sweet children this year, I can feel it."

Remus held in a scoff. The Slytherins were never sweet, no matter the age.

—+

Severus was _not_ breaking curfew rules. He was simply stretching his legs in the direction of the library in complete darkness with a simple spell to enhance his hearing to help guide him and keep him invisible. Professor Lupin distracted him with his presence and then ran away like the lunatic he was. Then there was that strange, muted presence the time before that. Severus could not believe that he was saying this but he hated this damn school.

"I hate doing patrols near the dungeons!" Professor Pettigrew.

"Peter, I know the Slytherins attempted to hurt you but they really are just students." Professor Lupin.

"Attempted to _hurt—_ attempted murder more like! Those ungrateful brats, lying sneaky snakes." Severus rolled his eyes in disgust. How can an educator talk so nastily of his students? And be so dramatic? But more importantly why couldn't they just get out of way? Dammit. They were coming in his direction and quickly too. He could run back to the dorms that were in the direction he came but he didn't particularly want to. He could attempt to wrap himself in shadows or another camouflage technique that had a possibility of failing as he did not truly know how to perform them.

There was a doorknob.

Severus frowned as he felt along the doorknob that certainly hadn't been there a moment ago. He twisted it and the door opened with a quiet click. So it was a mysterious, unlocked room. A third option in other words.

"Do you smell that?"

"What?"

"Hello? Who is out of bed so late?"

Third option it was. Severus eased the door open as slowly and quietly as he could and slipped into the room, closing the door just as he heard the professors round the corner. Despite his pounding heart, Severus was quite impressed with Lupin's nose. Perhaps he should rethink—

Severus screamed as the floor suddenly no longer existed. He was falling, falling, falling into hot, burning heat. He was going to die. This was how he was going to die. _Falling._ Except… except… he should have hit the ground already. Slowly he opened eyes that he hadn't even realized that he closed and was greeted by a stone ground maybe an arm's length away. He shifted, expecting to be abruptly dropped and landed on his feet.

He.

Hated.

Hogwarts.

Severus looked around the large, mostly empty room. The only thing he could see was an extremely large rectangular shape, possibly a roomless door but more likely a mirror. It was magical at the very least and had a sort of… light coming from it. Severus stood silently for a long moment, listening for someone or something in the room but all he could hear was his still pounding heart. He looked up to where the door must have been but there was nothing there now so he had no choice but to move.

A mirror. But not a real one. Sort of. He stood in front of the massive glass, not seeing his reflection but the image of a man and woman. They sat surrounded by books, books in their hands, pulled so close that their faces were obscured but that didn't matter. He knew his ma and pa from anywhere. It was the figure behind them that caught his attention. Tall, impossibly tall and covered in a cloak of darkness. All he could make out was the pale, pale hand holding a long wand.

Who was he?

What was he doing near his ma and pa?

What was this mirror?

But the image did not answer his silent questions. It did not move except for his ma to lower her book just slightly. Dark, dark eyes greeted him from under sky blue bangs, shining with a happiness he very rarely saw. She didn't see the man behind them or she didn't care about him but she saw him, was looking directly at him.

"Ma?" He whispered, taking a step forward. This was a look he saw only once when he was very, very young. So young that it was close to a blur in his mind but he remembered thinking that maybe she should have blue hair again. His ma continued to look at him over the book then she looked just beyond his shoulder. He didn't follow her gaze, didn't want to because he knew that once he stopped looking then they and the mystery man would disappear. This wasn't really real but it was as good as he could get without resorting to unsavory actions. Her eyes went back to him then whatever was behind him again. No. He didn't care about what was behind him. But she wouldn't stop. He knew she wouldn't ever stop even as a silent image.

"Fine Ma," he sighed. He turned to give the room another look around and saw a podium. Approaching it Severus found… a rock. Or a gem or maybe resin. It was rough, oblong and red. It seemed to have an orangish glow to it. He settled on calling it a pretty, red rock. He looked over his shoulder and saw just him in the mirror.

Great.

Well it was obvious that he was meant to take the pretty, red rock so he pocketed it and produced a small light with his wand. It was time for him to continue on to the library. Not too far away was a door attempting to hide behind a half torn tapestry. He threw it open without fear, putting more power into the light as he had no intention of falling like that ever again. But he was greeted with the Slytherin dungeons sans potions Professors. He let out a sigh of relief and continued on his rule breaking.

Now he had a pretty, red rock.

Oh, and another two mysteries.

Severus Potter felt a headache coming on.

—+

TBC

Well then.

Severus has the philosopher's stone. Harry is looking for the philosopher's stone. Ooh. And so is Quirrelmort. Double oh. Btb great ship name! I was going woth Tomrius.

A lot happened this chapter, I think. I skipped the Charms, DADA and HOM cause my philosophy is that if I write it three times and it still doesn't come out right then it's meant to be skipped. don't worry. There's like loads of chapters left.

See y'all next week!


	10. Fire

"I'm thinkin' this the furst time I've had a whole class for detention," Hagrid scratched his head somewhat bemusedly. "And yer all furst years." He lifted his lantern a little higher to count each student. Yup, this was the entire first year class of Slytherins and Gryffindors. For some reason all of the Gryffindors sparkled a bit… a lot.

"Can we hurry up? It's cold," a pug nosed girl sniffed snootily. She pulled her cloak closer to her body but stood with a rigidly straight back and her eyes, though dark in color glowed with a fierce brightness. She was like a proud hippogriff that was being subjected to foolishness and was not one ounce happy about it. He decided that he very much like this prickly girl even though she was no doubt one of the Slytherins seeing as she was not sparkling.

"O' course we can. The greenhouse need some saplings that only come out at night. So many youngins should make this detention go by fast," he smiled down at the mostly miserable students. He handed out the little pouches that they would need along with gardening gloves to keep little hands clean. He gave Fang, abnormally quiet and quite a bit away from the group, a quick look. He's never seen his cowardly dog so far away from the safety of light but something seemed to be throwing him off. Hagrid pushed that away and gestured the students to follow as he started into the Forbidden Forest.

"Stay close to me!"

"I can't believe we all got detention! All of us!" Hermione threw up her hands in righteous anger.

"So exciting, isn't it muggleborn?" Blaise grinned, throwing a casual arm over her shoulder, unfazed by the sparkling glitter getting on his clothes.

"No! This could go on our permanent record!" Hermione hissed, shrugging him off and walking slightly faster to get out of arm throwing range. The dark skinned boy laughed loudly and dropped back to the group of suspiciously clean Slytherins. Nestled between the prickly Pansy and uptight Draco was just the redhead he was looking for.

"Oh tereso, the Gryffindors have no sense of humor. Class was explosive!" Blaise crowed excitedly.

"I suppose you could call it that," Severus agreed dryly but Blaise could see the small smile tilting his lips. But it fell when his eyes landed on his glitter covered twin. Oh yes. There was much tension between the boys today which might explain why Harry was still covered in glitter.

—Several Hours Ago+

"Can anyone tell me what is the capabilities of the potion we are working on today?" Professor Lupin inquired. Although it was only the second class there was already a tone set that two students would always raise their hands. Unfortunately another tone was set that only one of those two would be picked. "Ms. Granger?"

"Marie Medic is used to delay internal bleeding, heal if the damage is small enough."

"Five points to Gryffindor, that's correct! I'm going to write the ingredients and instructions on the board and we're _all_ going to follow along. Step by step," Golden eyes looked all around the class but Severus noted that they skipped over him specifically. He rolled his eyes. For a Gryffindor the man was sure a coward and an idiot if he thought he was being subtle. He smiled when the man's gaze darted towards him and immediately raised his hand. How Lupin responded would determine how he'd take his revenge.

The professor promptly ignored him.

Oh goodie. Severus smiled even wider and waited until the ingredients were passed out, taking them from Neville almost immediately. Oh this was even better. All the ingredients were still subpar and a deep breath gave him the scent of pesticides. Great. Beautiful. If he didn't think it would bring suspicion he would have cackled at that very moment. As it were he simply pulled their ingredients out and laid them neatly out.

"These don't look too nice," Longbottom whispered, poking at the mostly brown petals and the mangled beetles. Severus hummed in agreement, barely looking at the boy. He needed to time this perfectly or all his hard work would go to waste. "Ummm… are you going to change stuff?"

"The professor said we have to follow the directions," Severus reminded his partner. He gripped the wand within his sleeve and readied himself.

"But… you… your potion was right and…" Longbottom trailed off. Severus paused and looked over at the brown haired boy. Longbottom was doing his usual nervous tic of chewing on his lip and looking everywhere but at the person he was talking to which meant that Severus had the fun pleasure of watching the boy's eyes dart all over the room and never quite land on him.

"Would you spit it out?" Severus growled, dragging his gaze back to Lupin. The man was luckily still arranging his ingredients and muttering under his breath. Perhaps Severus should invest some effort into reading lips but on more interesting people of course.

"It's just… if you have a way of making potions the best way because you understand them that well then you should continue to brew them in your way. Bad work shouldn't be praised because it's right…" Longbottom shifted restlessly in his seat in a way that annoyed Severus to the highest degree but he found himself once more looking st the chubby boy and was shocked to see him returning his gaze and intensely.

"You truly believe that?" Severus tilted his head. Neville nodded earnestly, almost hard enough to slam their heads together. Bad work shouldn't be praised because it's right. Neville believed in him, believed in his methods of brewing and was actively encouraging him to disobey a professor if only because the professor was wrong. Severus didn't know much about Longbottom except that he wanted to do well in school and that he was a complete and utter hazard in every class but he had a feeling that this boy encouraging someone to disobey was a big deal. It was certainly interesting, almost interesting enough for Severus to give up his plot for revenge.

Almost.

"Okay! Let's get started, class!" Professor Lupin clapped his hands. He enchanted the chalk to start writing at the same time that Severus activated his revenge.

"Does anyone have an extra _inky thingy_?" Severus asked loudly, inwardly cringing at his choice of words.

"You can share mine…" Longbottom pushed his ink pot into the middle, facing turning a slight pink when Severus shot him a small smile. The boy was kind so he was a bit regretful that his revenge would have to involve him. Especially after he showed such faith in him.

Tendrils of smoke started to curl out of the professor's desk and the distinct smell of something burning trickled through the air. Severus waited for the man to whirl around, face warped with emotion but he didn't even seem to notice, humming under his breath. How odd. Just last night the man smelled him from down and around a corner now he couldn't smell a fire literally a few steps behind him. How. Odd. The smoke developed into visible flames that no one seemed to—

"Professor, there's a fire!" Brown shrieked with much more hysteria than Severus thought necessary. The Professor whirled around, eyes wide and wand out. Pettigrew came running as well, causing Severus's plan to fall nicely into place. Severus focused solely on the chalk still slowly writing out the ingredients being used and slid his wand just barely out of his sleeve. Silently he waved it and sent the new recipe at the chalk, his magic a nearly invisible beam that hit its target true. He held his breath, trying to not agitate the developing headache and hoping that this would work. He had practiced over and over to use silent magic and… the chalk kept on writing but he knew that it was working. Severus bit on his cheek to stop himself from crowing in victory. There was still an explosive finish yet to happen.

"I apologize class. Please… let's continue our potion," Professor Lupin panted as he made his way back to the front of the class. The class fell into comfortable silence, students watching then following the instructions given.

"Um… Professor?" Granger raised her hand, brows furrowed. There was no doubt that she noticed that the instructions didn't match those in the book and planned to ruin his hard work. How could he stop her? Before he could start to formulate a mild confounding spell to use, Pettigrew practically appeared at her side, between her and Pansy. He pressed so close to Hermione that she had to nearly scoot from her chair to get away from him.

"What's the problem, child?" He smiled but it was different from the too eager smile he had given Harry. This smile was… icky. Yes, that was the word he would settle on. Pettigrew leaned forward and she leaned back, only a hand on the table keeping her in her seat.

"Um, we—the. Never mind!" She blurted loudly, turning her head away from the man until Severus could see her almost wide eyed panic. Her brown face was practically drained of color and it appeared as though she were having a hard time breathing. Severus frowned and slowly dropped his wand into his hand. He wasn't sure why he felt the need to hex the man especially on behalf of some girl but he would do it. Pettigrew proceeded to get even closer (Severus started up a boil hex) thus drawing the attention of Pansy. The girl's head snapped over and Severus could see the sneer that twisted her face.

"Back. Away. _Now!_ " She spat with enough venom that Severus nearly backed away though her attention was not on him. Her dark eyes burned with a hateful fury even as her hands gently stirred their potion. Pettigrew flinched violently and practically tripped over himself to get away from the girls.

"Five points from Slytherin," he muttered and slunked away. Severus let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding and slipped his wand back up his sleeve.

"Don't talk to him, idiot. He's obviously a Vanderbilt," Pansy seemed to scold. Severus wasn't sure what that meant but her obvious distaste informed him that he didn't quite want to know.

"A Vanderbilt? Wait—!" Hermione reached for the girl's hand as she picked up the last ingredient much as the rest of the class had done and dropped it into their brew. One after the other explosions sounded throughout the class, potions bursting from their cauldrons and painting everything in its wake. Severus closed his eyes just as his potion exploded as well, allowing the surprisingly cool liquid to drench him head to toe. Children screamed, Lupin shouted and Pettigrew made an odd noise that Severus could only describe as a squeal. Once it was all over Severus opened his eyes and saw the horrible green slime that covered everything—absolutely everything.

"Oh my—my _hair_!" Brown shrieked, sobbing and jumping up and down.

"It's in my underwear!" Weasley complained.

"What is it? What is it!? Is it poison? It's in my mouth!" Bulstrode really seemed to be panicking, potion covered hand wiping at her tongue. She let out a wail of despair as she realized she was only succeeding in getting more of the potion in her mouth.

"Everyone calm down! Settle down," Professor Lupin called out firmly but calmly. The class settled, some still wiping at the concoction while others like those directly around him remained calm. Once he was sure that no one would have a complete breakdown his golden eyes took in the scene. "Now, who is responsible for this big mess? It was very irresponsible and dangerous."

Severus raised his slime covered hand and practically beamed when the man turned his attention to him. He pointed to the only thing clean in the room: the board still displaying the faulty recipe.

"Sir, I was merely _following directions._ " The man blinked rapidly, looking from the board, his book and back to Severus. Slowly, the realization sunk in and, of Severus wasn't a student and a child, he was sure the man would have hexed him right then and there. Instead he took a deep breath through his nose and spoke softly.

"Detention. For a week."

"Why? I didn't do anything but _follow directions_." Severus felt his smile get wider and his eyes become so big with innocence there was no doubt that he was guilty.

"Because—yes, Mr. Longbottom?" Professor Lupin jabbed his finger towards the boy. Severus turned as well, confusion warping his face. What could Longbottom possibly have to say?

"Um… well, sir. I um, I was following directions as well," Longbottom forced out, placing a hand on Severus's shoulder. Severus blinked in surprise, so much surprise that he didn't immediately throw the boy's hand off of him.

"Detention."

"Professor, I believe I was following your terrible directions as well," Pansy sneered.

"Detention."

"Me too!" A little voice that Severus thought might be Daphne's sounded.

"How else would I be covered in this…" Blaise let out an intelligible sound, trying in vain to at least wipe it out of his closely shorn hair.

"I just did what the board said!" Goyle.

"Professor?" Draco called out, a slender hand raised in the air.

"What?" The man practically growled, a slight tremble of rage shaking him.

"I followed directions."

"That's it. Entire class. Detention. Tonight!"

Severus believed that he was rather shell shocked. It wasn't part of his plan for his fellow Slytherins and Neville to repeat after him and receive detention. Well, he had expected someone else to say something. , Severus looked over his shoulder to his twin to see the boy frowning and quite blatantly ignoring his gaze. Lupin dismissed class shortly after, angry and quivering but Severus was quite sure he'd be foaming at the mouth once he attempted to clean the slime. Speaking of cleaning.

"I know it was you." Pansy planted herself like a wall in front of him. Her arms were crossed and her face was twisted in an unflattering strained smile. "Tell me, Severus, what happens when we wash this crap off?"

"Oh, tell me it's something deadly," Blaise sighed, appearing like a mist at his side.

"Why would—shut up, you jester!" Draco swiped at the boy. Severus vaguely noted that he was surrounded by his Slytherin classmates but a large part of him was aware that they were not quite stupid enough to attack him. Especially not after showing such public solidarity.

"The potion we made was a general, topical healing potion but it expands when it finishes so having a full cauldron caused it to explode. The only downside to this healing potion is…" Severus whispered a water spell and washed some of the potion off revealing a hand covered in glitter.

"Sparkles!?" Crabbe squawked, flapping his arms like a bird.

"I will—." Pansy started, her smile even more strained and her eyes gaining a gleam that actually caused a bit of a stir in Severus's gut.

"I, of course, made a glitter remover that is safe for human skin and hair," Severus pulled a jug from his expanded bag. He handed it to Pansy then another to Draco. "You will have to share but it's enough for everyone. Now. If you all would excuse me." Severus broke out of the group and quickly followed the sound of Gryffindors loudly complaining and some laughing. He had made a single bottle for his brother and one for himself.

"Harry!" He called out as he spotted the boy walking shoulder to shoulder with the redhead. Neither boy turned. Oh, well, the Gryffindors were rather loud. Severus pushed his way through the crowd until he was able to slap his hand onto Harry's shoulder and bring him to a stop. "Harry."

"Yeah?" Harry muttered. Severus frowned a little at the tone that the boy held. It was almost… cold.

"What's wrong? Did something happen?" Severus asked, looking his twin over. There didn't seem to be anything wrong with him, no bruises or signs of magical attacks. His eyes were clear and focused. His scar still red from the scratching.

"Nothing is wrong. Great prank, by the way. Did you tell Draco all about it?" Harry crossed his arms over his chest. Severus opened his mouth to speak but stopped as he realized that a certain redhead was hovering _directly_ over Harry's shoulder.

"Can we get a bit of privacy?" Severus hissed, glaring at the boy. Weasley flinched and started to back off but Harry whipped around and grabbed the boy's arm and pulled him even closer.

"No, whatever you have to say, you can say in front of my best mate."

Ouch. Severus wasn't sure why those words hurt so much but he definitely felt a bit of pain from them. He shoved away the feeling (and the urge to verbally discuss it with Harry) and plunged his hand into his bag, pulling out the personal bottle of soap.

"Here, you need a special soap to completely wash off the potion." Severus held it out. Harry didn't take it, didn't even look at it.

"No, it's fine. We're fine. Thanks."

Then he just walked away.

—+

"I didn't even say anything," Hermione half warbled, bringing Severus out of the hurt he felt.

"Because the Hat isn't always right, obviously. Shouldn't be in Gryffindor if you're just a stuck up little Know It All that would rather save your own skin," Brown rolled her eyes which was odd as Neville was the only Gryffindor to jump to his defense and only the man's anger caused his to assign everyone detention. But still, Granger winced and moved away from her fellow Gryffindor until she just so happened to be closer to Pansy. Severus sighed and looked back to—

"Where is Harry?"

Harry couldn't stand being in the group any longer, not one more second. It wasn't fair, it wasn't right. Severus was keeping secrets after promising not to and he was pulling pranks— _pranks!_ And he didn't even tell Harry about it first. Harry bet Severus told that stuck up little pompous weasel about it! He bet Severus told him and they just laughed and giggled and just couldn't wait to blow up all the cauldrons. Bet they shared a bed too! Harry kicked a tree. Then did it again. And again.

He was being so stupid!

Not Severus! Him! Harry! Harry kicked the tree until hot, angry tears burned his cheeks. He knew that Severus would rather die than replace him. He knew that Severus didn't purposely keep secrets. He knew that if Severus hadn't told him then he hadn't told anyone about his plan to get back at Lupin. He knew that Severus probably didn't even stay in the dorms much less share a bed with Draco. He knew all of that so why. Was. He. So. Angry? Harry let out a frustrated growl and continued his assault on the innocent tree until some of the strange anger cleared from his brain. He didn't get it. He never got angry at Severus, not really and yet he… Harry bit down on his lip before another wave of anger could cloud his thoughts. He… Harry had probably hurt his brother's feelings. He had never seen such a look on Severus's face. And now he was sparkling like an idiot and he wandered away from the group like a bigger idiot! Harry pulled at his hair and looked around.

Well then.

It turned out he was lost.

Just. Bloody. Great.

"Lumos!" Harry summoned light to his wand. Was the forest always so dark? Which direction had he come from? A snap. Something hitting the ground. And… he didn't even know how to describe the next sound. Harry wanted to call out, maybe it was his classmates or maybe it was like a helpful forest dweller. After all, there were helpful forest dwellers, right? Harry followed the strange, strange noise until he was at a clearing highlighted by the full moon. His scar itched, itched so bad that it almost burned. And he was angry and scared. And… and… just what was that and what was it doing to that unicorn? Harry stumbled backwards, stepping on a twig and drawing the attention of what he could only describe as a horrible monster. It was at least ten feet tall and shrouded in darkness and the noise it made, rattling bones and a shrieking wind that sounded like… like his _name!_

"Haaaarrrrryyyyy!" It reached its impossibly long hand to him, fingers grotesque and bent and his scar it felt like his head was going to explode. He should scream or say a spell or run or just _move_. But he couldn't. He could only stare. He was going to die. Right here in this forest. Never to play Quidditch. Or finish school. Or learn amazing magic. Or make up with Severus. Oh no, Severus.

"Harrrrr—!"

"Incendio!" Fire, bright and hot shot from somewhere to their left and slammed right into the monster. It let out a horrible hiss and threw itself away from Harry and the flame. The fire followed the creature, persistent and strong. Harry watched with wide eyes as his twin quickly made his way in front of him, wand still up and shooting out the hot flames as the creature attempted to escape.

"I think not!" Severus hissed. "Ignis vincula!" The fire turned into a ball that surrounded the creature. It let out a painful shriek that echoed in Harry's chest and rippled his brain something terrible. He stumbled forward, pressing his forehead between Severus's shoulder blades.

His head hurt.

It hurt.

It _hurt._

"Harry? Harry!" When did he lay down? When did it become daytime? The trees were all brightly lit, vivid leaves of reds and oranges that felt so warm. It was very warm. Harry rather liked it warm. He blinked and suddenly he was looking up at Severus, long hair tickling his face until Harry was giggling. But Severus wasn't. He looked so concerned, scared really. He hadn't seen that look in a really long time. Like since they were seven. Harry didn't like that look.

"Hey Sev…" Harry reached up and tried to gently put his hand on his twin's pale cheek but ended up slamming it much too rough but Severus didn't mind, of course Severus didn't mind. He was Severus. His twin. His rock. The person who loved him most in the world. Why was his vision so blurry? Oh he was crying. "I'm sorry Sev. I'm really sorry. I don't know why I was so mad. It was stupid. I'm stupid."

"Stop that foolishness," Severus rolled his eyes but a slight smile started to pull at his lips. Harry smiled back, and, just like that, Harry knew they were on good terms again. Silence fell over them but not for long. Harry felt light. A little empty if he was being honest. Like something in his head had shrunk so that gave more room for his real thoughts. And a really cool, awesome and logical thought surfaced in the wake of the extra space.

"Hey Sev… we should throw a Halloween party."

—+

"Hm, he's kind of tiny to be a Gryffindor isn't he?" One lanky, red haired boy commented as he circled the small student. Severus adjusted his hold on his magically lightened books just in case he'd need to drop them and knock some sense in the beaters.

"Quite right, Quite right you are but I think he's also too green to be a Gryffindor." The other lanky, red haired boy pointed (wisely not touching) at Severus's tie.

"Ooh, is it not okay that he's here? He's my twin!" Harry shouted from his place high in the sky. He loved being on the broom, it was like being free except he was freer than free. It was so hard to describe. It was enough to make him not think about that horrible monster from the forest, the one who had escaped the prison of fire Severus had created before they could prove it real to anyone else. It was enough that he didn't mind that he had another detention because Hagrid had to give one to Severus for technically setting fire to the Forbidden Forest (which took the half giant nearly an hour to put out) but that led for Harry kindly asking to join his twin and Hagrid (teary eyed) giving him one. But that was in the past. Now he was a hundred feet off the ground and Severus had showed up for his first practice.

"Hm… you going to report back to your House?" Oliver Wood approached Severus, towering over him and giving him a hard stare. Severus returned the look with utter boredom.

"I won't even be watching." Harry snickered a bit, not surprised. "I have studying to do." Severus shifted the very noticeable pile of books in his hands. Oliver stared for a few more seconds then nodded firmly.

"The Slytherin can stay," he announced. Severus turned his gaze to Harry which prompted the boy to fly to his level.

"Hop on. I'll take you to the stands!" Harry offered. Severus let out a sigh that could only be described as exasperated but he climbed aboard and only squeezed Harry half to death with his books stabbing into his back. "Don't you trust me to fly safely?" Harry grinned as the other boy jumped off at his destination, carefully lowering his books.

"Only as far as I can throw you," Severus retorted.

"Oh ha, ha. What're you going to be studying anyway?" Harry rolled his broom until he was upside down, held just by the strength of his legs and his youthful abandon. Severus pulled out a… well Harry supposed he'd call it a pretty red rock. "What's that?"

"If I knew that then I wouldn't have so many books to go through." Harry stuck out his tongue. For all he knew Severus had a pretty good guess what the rock was because if anyone knew something then Severus would. "Well where did you find it?" Speaking of finding things, he still needed to figure out the mystery that the teachers were guarding. He would tell Severus about his plans but only after he had a full team for his twin to give his opinion on.

"In a room with a strange mirror. I have books on enchanted mirrors as well." Severus picked up a nameless book, showing it to him. Harry started to ask another question but a voice cut through the brisk air, reminding him that he had Quidditch to practice. Quidditch!

"Hey! Potter, get your arse over here. Our first game is in a week and I need to see what you're made of!"

"Aye, Aye Captain!"

Severus snorted. Harry was an absolute fool. He rather wished he didn't have such an unshakeable fear of flying, one much worse than his fear of parseltongue. That way he could be actual competition for the boy as he had no doubt that Harry would be an amazing seeker, perhaps the best there ever was.

Someone was approaching.

"H-hey um, Sev."

Oh.

It was Longbottom.

Severus slid his wand back up his sleeve and gave the sparkling boy a slight glare, "No one calls me Sev."

"Oh. I'm sorry. I just… well, you know. I heard I'm, it's just that I heard Harry call you that and I just thought…" the boy tripped over his tongue and his shoelaces. Severus quickly shot a cushioning charm on as big as he could and where he thought the boy would fall. Then he watched as he fell face first into the now pillow soft stairs. Longbottom laid there, silent and still until Severus started to question whether or not he had actually made the wood and metal soft. When the boy remained there Severus simply shrugged and cracked open his book.

Enchanted mirrors.

"Thank you…" a tiny voice murmured.

"Hm." Severus hm'd.

"You know, for catching me and um, for not laughing. People usually laugh."

"Hm." Severus hm'd again. Silence fell between them and Severus vaguely noted that he could hear turning of pages not coming from him. Longbottom had a book as well. Good. He wasn't sure how he felt of someone sitting there watching him pour over books.

An hour and a half passed.

Or at least he was sure that amount of time had passed because otherwise why would Harry be hovering directly in front of him, nose to nose when Severus picked his head up.

"It's almost time for dinner," Harry grinned. Oh. Severus blinked his suddenly heavy eyes. More time went by then he thought. It explained why it was so dark. The redhead looked over to see that Longbottom had fallen asleep and apparently lost his cloak as he was shivering in the nearly night air. How does one lose their cloak when they never moved? Severus scoffed and began to pack his bag.

"Did you manipulate Neville into giving you his cloak?" Harry shook his head. Severus opened his mouth to object to such a statement but he did feel extremely warm. Looking down he was quite embarrassed to note the too large cloak around his shoulders. Oh. Severus rubbed his eyes. He was really in need of a nap if he hadn't noticed that.

"I guess we have to take him with us now," Severus sighed. He couldn't leave the good deed unrewarded. Not with Harry grinning right at him.

—+

"So, did you solve your mystery?" Harry asked around a mouthful of spaghetti.

"What mystery?" Granger inquired from his right, leaning in close.

"Her nose is always somewhere it doesn't belong." Brown commented just loud enough for the girl and Severus to hear. Granger flinched, ducking her head though it did little to hide the red blush overtaking her face.

"Yeah it's like her teeth in that way. Just out there." A girl perhaps a year above commented. Granger flinched again but it was followed by her getting up and running quickly from the table. Severus wondered if Pansy were correct? Did Granger really care about some silly girls and their silly opinions? He didn't even bother looking at the giggling bullies, quite uninterested and, instead, glanced at the teacher's table.

"Where's Professor Quirrell?" Severus pondered. "Lupin and Pettigrew are both missing as well."

"Who cares? They're teachers doing teacher stuff," Harry waved vaguely in the air.

"As for my mysteries yes, I solved them. The mirror I saw was the Mirror of Erised. It shows you your deepest desires. I have to interpret it though as mine did not make sense. The stone," Severus dug it from his pocket and handed it to his brother. "Is a philosopher's stone."

"Wow! I real philosopher's stone?" Longbottom gasped from the space once occupied by Granger. Oh it seemed that he awakened from his nap.

"What do you know of—."

"Mr. Potter!" A voice called out. Smoothly Severus allowed the stone to slid up his sleeve as though it were never there just in time for his Head of House to approach them.

"Yes ma'am?" He and Harry tilted their head in practiced unison. The girl paused, a smile twitching at her lips but it disappeared as quickly as they saw it and was replaced with a slightly disapproving frown.

" _My_ Mr. Potter, the Slytherin," Hinojosa clarified, "You cannot be over here during meals as this is not your house. Come along back to where you belong."

"I had breakfast with you guys!" Harry protested.

"Hm, I wonder why that was allowed," the girl's voice dry enough to make all their throats parched. Severus almost protested as well because Harry _did_ have breakfast with the Slytherins but he was quite aware that the other Houses and his did not follow the same rules. So he gave his frowning brother a hug grabbed his dinner and followed his Head of House to the correct table. Hinojosa leaned in close. "I do apologize for having to do that." Then the older girl left, positioning herself beside the Head Boy and eating her own meal.

"So, I heard you were at Gryffindor practice, first year," Flint grinned in a way that Severus decidedly didn't like. He remained silent, eyes fixed on the Quidditch Captain. "What's their play?"

"To catch some of the balls, to throw other ones and avoid bodily injury," Severus deadpanned then he turned to Blaise, "Where is Draco?"

"Oh tereso, you know—."

"Severus!" Ah, there was Draco. The boy looked absolutely dreadful, even paler than when the class found Harry and him surrounded by fire and a dead unicorn (whose body was harvested by Severus while Hagrid bravely saved the forest) and he seemed to be drenched in sweat. The boy skidded to a stop and practically shoved Daphne out of her seat beside Severus. "Severus you have to quit—you have to find a way to forfeit the Challenge."

"Draco, not—."

"You don't understand! Snyder doesn't want to duel you with magic. He wants a physical fight with fists!" Draco hissed, bringing his face close as possible. Severus frowned and leaned around the blond to see Snyder very close to the end of the table. He was a very large, very muscle bound teenager. Very. Very. Large. There probably wouldn't be weapons allowed. If the fight was physical he wouldn't be allowed his wand and perhaps screened for potions. Hm.

"Very well."

—

TBC

Sorry I've been gone so long! I was a sad sad lump of stress! Now I'm an okay lump of stress! I hope you enjoyed this double feature. Severus got to bodily harm Quirrelmort! With FIRE! And he and Harry made up! Also I want to rewrite the last chapter. It's ugly lol! But not right now. I'll let y'all know if I ever do.


	11. Hashtag Winning

Warning: violence, the human body doesn't work like that, and liberal changes of ghosts in this world

—+

Harry shot up in his bed, simultaneously grabbing his glasses and wand from under his pillow. There was something or someone in his room. He could feel it, hear it breathing outside of his drawn curtains. How long had it been there? Was it there to attack him? Was it the monster from the forest? Did it survive the fire!? Harry felt his breath catch. He didn't know any powerful spells like Severus did, he couldn't beat something like that! Unless… he could try that fire spell that Severus had performed. He'd seen him do it, he knew the words—

"Harry."

Huh?

Harry quickly threw open his curtains and was greeted with the small body of his twin in his arms. It took little strain to pull the boy into the privacy of his bed and even less effort to light his wand. Only to drop it as he caught sight of his face. Quickly he scooped up his wand and relit it, gaping at the mangled black and blue mess that was once Severus's face.

He.

Harry.

He was trembling. It was like he was back in the lighthouse and that thing inside his head, straining and expanding and pulling was back. The thing that held something that scared him, the thing that he knew wasn't any good but he didn't care about that. He just cared about who did this. Who did this to his Severus? He gripped Severus's shoulders and took three deep breaths, licking his lips as he tried to ask his one question. Just one question. What he would do with the information, he wasn't sure but he had no plan to think. He needed to act. A pale hand came up and landed clumsily on the side of his face.

"Before… you geth angry. I promith dis is the lasth seethret I'll keep from you," Severus slurred from split lips, only one brown eye gazing at him while the other was barely a sliver.

"What. Happened." Harry felt that thing rear its ugly head and wrap all its limbs around him and squeeze. He wanted to do something, leave his dormitory and destroy everything until he got answers. Until someone answered. But Severus was right here in his arms, on his bed and doing a strange thing with his ruined face—oh he was smiling a mouth full of blood and probably missing teeth.

"I. Won."

—+

The first punch was almost a surprise. Hard, heavy and much faster than he expected. His brain smacked the side of his skull much harder than he thought safe, much harder than he would have liked. Concentrate. Another hit was coming. He needed to block—. His arms were like toothpicks, knocked aside and practically crumbling as the other first slammed into his cheek. Again. Again. He was flat on his back. Heaviness pinned him down. Quickly he raised his arms to block but the blows felt like a sledgehammer. Was this boy really a teenager? He hit like a train and was definitely bigger than a lot of the seventh years. His diet probably consisted of nothing but protein. He grinned or he wanted to grin. He didn't know what his face was doing.

"Get off him! He's done! You won!"

Who was that?

The blows stopped and the weight disappeared as though snatched away.

Who said that?

"Severus! Are you alright?!" Oh it was Draco. The boy dropped to his knees by his side, hands hovering and unsure but Severus wasn't unsure. He allowed his hand to cut through the air and slap the blond across the cheek. The hit wasn't hard, not really but it startled the other boy who blinked wildly at him with a hand holding his now pink cheek. Severus would bet no one had ever slapped him like that before.

"I. Am. Not. Done! I haven't _lost,_ " He hissed, baring his teeth. He pushed himself to his feet, gazing at the bare back of his enemy. The teenager was cocky, stupid and shirtless. He stood in front of Hinojosa, ready to claim his victory. But he would claim that victory over Severus's cold, dead body. "Snyder!"

"You lost! Just lay down," Snyder waved him off, not even turning. Severus laughed, as if he could ever lose to someone like this Buffoon. His head was spinning and he felt one of his teeth had came loose which… he pushed it out with his tongue then spat it on the ground. That was just a molar.

"You hit like a malnourished, dried out selkie," Severus taunted. Snyder was cocky. He turned slowly, his eyes were amused. Severus was not done. His head hurt but that was it. Snyder only attacked the face, he lacked imagination and actual fighting skills.

"Are you sure you can keep going?" Hinojosa inquired. If Severus wasn't sure he had a mild concussion he would think that the girl was actually concerned for him. He gave her his biggest, fakest smile and a thumbs up as though he hadn't had his face beaten in. As though he hadn't spat out a tooth. Snyder rolled his eyes, unimpressed. Good. It would make the rest of this easy.

"Your diet needs to be readvised," Severus commented as he ducked under the heavy blow that he was sure would have been devastating. He threw his own punch, hitting as hard as he could at the enlarged kidney. The boy let out a howl so Severus did it again and again until it finally ruptured. Snyder screamed something awful and attempted to clumsily hit him but he had his turn. Now it was Severus's turn.

He planned on destroying Snyder.

"You speak too much," Severus drove his fingers as hard as he could at the point where the chin and neck met, feeling the boy's voice box collapse. Severus caught the next, much weaker swing and twisted until he heard the grinding crunch he very much liked at the moment.

Maybe he should stop.

Snyder kicked out at him, his other hand grabbing Severus's hair when he avoided the attack. Oh good. Severus drove his elbow into the boy's chin then his fist directly into his adam's apple. His knee came up to deal a harsh blow into his groin.

"Do not fall asleep on me." Perhaps his concussion was more severe than he thought. He didn't particularly remember getting on top of Snyder, didn't quite remember taking him to the ground. But here he was, his hands were still moving, still flying, still beating. The boy's face looked five times as bad as his felt. He definitely broke his nose, horribly and the weak gurgles did not bode well. But Snyder would learn a valuable lesson from this. Everyone in their House would. With each, wet punch.

Do.

Not.

Challenge.

Severus.

Tobias.

Potter.

Hands were grabbing him, pulling and yanking. He was small, light so it was no hardship but Severus could still fight, almost needed to keep fighting.

"I will stun you," Draco said calmly into his ear, probably having felt his body start to tense with an attack. A wand pressed firmly between his shoulder blades. Severus grinned and went limp into his fellow first years' grasps. He already won his Challenge.

"Tereso!" Blaise laughed in his ear, joy pouring from the single word. He accepted the crushing hug and the even tighter one that came behind him. Draco shook as he hugged him and tears soaked into his bloody and somewhat ripped shirt. Oh, Draco must have been worried for him. He opened his mouth to assure the boy and maybe even apologize for striking him but was interrupted by the monotone voice of their Head of House.

"Take Snyder to my rooms and try to not get his blood on everything," Hinojosa commanded of Flint and another older student. She turned her dark gaze to him next, "Severus do you wish to be healed in my rooms as well?"

—+

"That… is the _dumbest_ thing I ever heard!" Harry hissed as he pressed the cool compress into his brother's most swollen eye. The story had been slurred and had the habit of going off topic and it was almost like Severus was talking about someone else but Harry got the gist of it and the gist was that it was stupid. He tilted the healing potion into Severus's mouth and started to gently apply the topical cream into his bruises.

"I won," Severus tried to shrugged. Harry would not strangle Severus Potter. Harry would not strangle Severus Potter.

"Just…" Harry pinched the bridge of his nose and breathed in the soothing smells of the potions. He wasn't angry and the strain was gone. Their special necklace didn't wake him with its heat, signifying Severus was in danger and he's seen Severus fight people way, way bigger than him—Severus beat up Uncle Vernon once. But still, he didn't like these series of events, he didn't like being in the dark. Harry busied himself moving Severus around until he was under the blankets and in a comfortable position. Then he snuggled close to the boy and wrapped him in a hug. "Just tell me next time you get Challenged."

"So you can stop me?" Severus sighed, limp and comfortable as his potions did their work. Now Harry knew why the redhead had given him the case of potions, 'just in case' his bum!

"Or so I can watch you beat someone bloody," Harry deadpanned. Severus chuckled tiredly and drifted immediately into sleep, unable to fight the potions off. Last secret. Harry pulled his twin closer. This was the last secret the boy would keep from him.

"Har—ACK!" Thud. Harry's eyes snapped open and for a second he thought that he had perfect vision for the first time in his life but then he remembered that he had not taken his glasses off after patching Severus up. So he was immediately aware that Severus was no longer by him and that his curtains were wide open. Harry scrambled to the end of his bed and saw his brother atop Ron and holding him in a painful hold. Harry knew it was one that hurt because Severus had done it to him several times they 'spared'.

"I thought you an intruder," Severus huffed, glaring down at the boy. He had been having a wonderful dream of making potion after potion in a little cabin atop a hill that only Harry knew about. There was a lovely garden too and sometimes Snape would visit him in a little frame sat atop his writing desk.

"I told you I heard someone come in!" Seamus crowed.

"O-oh. Hi, Sev—I mean Severus," Neville waved. Harry yawned and stretched. There was no danger. Good. But Severus was still a liar. He totally heard Ron approaching, probably heard his dorm mates talking about approaching. This was most likely revenge for Harry's earlier snub involving the redhead.

"C'mon Sev, it's time for breakfast and I want to send some stuff to Mooki!" Harry rolled out of bed and fell full weight a top both boys.

"Dogpile!" Seamus shouted.

—+

"Your brother is horrible, mate," Seamus groaned, still rubbing at his slowly developing black eye. Harry giggled, completely unoffended. He hadn't quite expected Severus to lash out and punch Seamus in the face but he also wasn't actually surprised that it happened either. He turned back to his letter, allowing their History (ghost) professor words to be background music. He already sent Hedwig off with a bunch of pictures but then he realized he wanted to write a letter too. Hopefully his owl wouldn't mind two trips.

What did he want to say?

 _Dear Surajmukhi_

 _How are you?_

No! That was so weird.

 _Hey there_

Okay. That was way more weird.

"Just write as though you were talking to her. And send this with your letter," Severus pushed a small vial of capsules into his hand.

"What is this?" Harry whispered.

"Artificial testosterone." What? His confusion must have shown because Severus rolled his eyes, "You are not as dense as you like to believe. Give my regards to Shaurya." Then he went back to scribbling in his journal. Who? Harry shook his head and started to write.

 _Hey Mooki! There's so much I have to tell you. First I got on the Quidditch team. I'm the only first year allowed. Second, the teachers here are a lot of weird. I'm not sure if Severus notices but our transfiguration (that's when we make stuff into different stuff) is always staring at Sev. Like always. Always. She stares more than his bird. Which Sev still hasn't named yet._

Harry wrote all the way until class ended, telling every best and worst thing that's happened since stepping foot into the castle. Of course he made sure to not go into too much detail with the forest monster so that they wouldn't worry too much. But he did go into full detail about Severus and his secret Challenge fight. He felt no shame about it either. By the time he finished his letter, with regards from Severus they were waiting around for Professor Quirrell to show up.

"I heard he missed his last class," Hermione announced.

"Is there anything you don't hear?" Lavender turned in her seat to ask. Hermione opened her mouth then closed it quickly, screwing her lips together and pushing her nose into her book. She was always reading, Harry noted. Books about Hogwarts, their textbooks and all sorts of things. Plus she knew every answer any professor had to ask. Which meant something important… he just had to figure out what that was.

"Harry, did you truly want to throw a Halloween party?" Severus asked, distracting him from his important thoughts but he perked up regardless. Ever since life took a turn for the better they always went to a Halloween party and then trick or treating. It was tradition at this point. He knew that the trick or treating was out but what was stopping them from creating a Halloween party tradition right here at Hogwarts?

"Of cour—wait, are you just saying that because you're trying to distract from the fact that you broke into my dorm with your face half gone?" Harry frowned. Not that anyone could tell, not even he could imagine what Severus's face had looked like after that horrible fight and he had seen it up close!

"Yes," Severus chirped cheerfully.

"Well it's working," Harry grinned. "Do you already have a location?"

"I—."

"I am awfully sorry I'm late, class." Oh, the defense professor was here. Chatter fell silent as the man came marching in but it soon appeared once more as they took note of the man's appearance. He was covered head to toe in bandages though he seemed to move just fine. Severus frowned. He didn't quite like the man or his presence. There was something about it that threw Severus's instincts for a loop. Maybe it was the magic around him, substantial but weak. There but not really. Or maybe it was the way his eyes always seems to be on Harry. Other than that the man seemed to be extremely knowledgeable and seemed eager to share this abundance of knowledge so he was a competent teacher, Severus just didn't like him.

"Um, yes. S-s-so I had a r-really b-b-bad ac-c-ccident." Severus frowned even harder. He didn't want to jump to conclusions, it only served to make one seem foolish but was it mere coincidence that he set fire to a monster, trapped it in a fiery prison for a few seconds and now their professor comes in, covered in bandages from a 'bad accident'?

"You don't think…?" Harry trailed off, staring just as hard at the man.

"He doesn't quite look like what I saw." Severus murmured, trying to rationalize whether he should attack the man or not. After all, that thing in the forest was definitely attempting to cause Harry harm and if that thing was this professor…

"He doesn't. Do you think someone could just come back after being burned like that?" The heat alone would have melted human skin to a crisp. The smoke would have filled and suffocated human lungs. So no, he didn't think someone could just come back with only bandages on after being attacked in such a way. Most likely, whatever attacked Harry was likely not human as it managed to escape the fire prison.

"So about Halloween," Severus relaxed in his chair.

—

"You. Faaaaiiilllleeddd. Meeeee!" Quinarius was awfully glad that he was himself and not one Peter Pettigrew. Because he was himself and not one Peter Pettigrew he was not being held against the wall with one hand pressed against his windpipe and a wand shoved into his belly. Because he was himself and not one Peter Pettigrew he was not sniveling and trying to stutter out excuses that only made the dark lord angrier. He rather liked not being one Peter Pettigrew.

"P-please my Lord. It was a small slip up. A-a mistake! I can keep—." Pettigrew let out a strangled squeal as the hand around his neck tightened and he was slammed backwards. His watery, little eyes darted around as though there was someone who would save his worthless hide. Not on this abandoned floor, not at this late hour. No, Voldemort made sure that no one would interrupt this moment. This punishment of a failure.

"Shut up you fool! If you attempt again he will capture you and interrogate you for every slip of information you have," Quirrell found his mouth hissing. A small bit of him rather liked the held back tears he spotted in the chubby man's eyes, the trembling of his limbs and the way he seemed to try to shrink away. He liked this fear. A lot. He wondered if he could inspire more if he unleashed a few hexes. Just as he started to pick one made just for someone so incompetent his anger turned to disgust and his hand released the man though he did not step away.

Oh.

Quirrell understood. Pettigrew was an idiot. He was incompetent so it was not a surprise that his brilliant Severus had spotted him. The only surprise was that Severus hadn't started torturing information out of the filthy rat. If he had a nose Voldemort would have pinched it again n frustration. Having Quirrell pinch his nose just wasn't the same because even his host was incompetent. It was like he was surrounded by it. A sigh tore through Quirrell. This was the help he currently had and it was the help he would currently use.

"You will focus on Potter. Get closer to him, earn his trust—."

"Um… which Potter?" The rat interrupted. That's it. This rat wasn't needed.

"Cru—!"

"You sure this is going to be a good place?" A child's skeptical voice cut off his curse. The possessed man scowled while he noticed that the rat seemed pretty relieved, no doubt understanding what he had been about to experience in mere seconds. Quirrell snapped a shadow spell around them and glared at the other man until he went still.

"Do not ask foolish questions Harry. I would not…" Severus trailed off, his eyes landing directly on them. While Quirrell felt a familiar panic (this time backed up with personal memories that this child would set him on fire) build up in his chest his face held only a smile. Voldemort was pleased with his wicked Slytherin. His attack had been vicious and fast—it held no mercy. Had it not been for the fact that even in this form that Voldemort was powerful enough to shield them (for the most part) there was no doubt that this pathetic host would have died a horrible death.

"Helllooooo!" Harry waved his hand in front of Severus's face. He looked to where his brother's attention seemed to be and saw nothing but the wall. There wasn't even any light to illuminate over there. "Sev! We don't have time for you to daydream. Halloween is around the corner and we need to get everything ready for the party!"

"Hm… right," Severus continued to stare at that spot even as Harry dragged him in the direction Severus had described.

—+

Harry had to admit that this room was pretty cool. Well this whole abandoned floor was pretty cool but this was just the best for their party. It wasn't too hard hammering out the details. Harry, with the help of Ron (once he asked him) would handle the food and drinks. Severus would take care of the decorations and invitations. Well, not all the invitations. They agreed that Harry was better off inviting his House while Severus took care of the other three. Only first years and very hush-hush. Like Nate and his end of the year sleepover.

"How did you find this room?" Harry asked as they closed the door firmly behind themselves.

"I was looking for a secret room to brew in," Severus went further down the hall and held a door open for Harry to enter. It was a bathroom. A huge one. And… were those cauldrons in each of the six sinks? With potions bubbling away? "I come here mostly at night to brew so if you want to find me I'm here or in the library."

"What if someone comes in here or something?"

" _No one_ is allowed in my bathroom…" a voice, young and angry drifted throughout the bathroom, echoing. "Well, no one but Sevvie-poo." Harry's eyebrows jumped to his hairline. What? Where was that voice coming from and, more importantly, Sevvie-poo? He looked over to the boy and saw that his lips were pulled into a small but genuine smile.

"Hello, Myrtle. How are you today?" Severus asked the air. Harry opened his mouth to ask just who he was talking to but then there was a girl. She was older than them but not by much with pigtails and glasses big enough to take up half her face. She was a student, her uniform pressed nice and neat but different. Her skirt was longer, her robes a different cut and her tie was shorter.

Oh. And she was a ghost.

Yeah, Harry probably should have noticed that first. After all, she had very, very little color. There was just a hint of dark brown in her hair and some yellow in her tie to let him know that she had been a Hufflepuff. He wondered how she died (there were no physical signs that he could see) and why she chose to stay on such an abandoned floor.

"Oh I've been dreadfully bored like always but at least now I can read and no more bullies have come around," Myrtle smiled brightly.

"Bullies? But… you're a ghost," Harry pointed out before he could stop himself. What transpired after those words left his mouth was the worst thirty seconds of his life and he's been through some stuff in his short eleven years. At one point he looked to Severus for some help but the boy wasn't even paying attention to them. He was stirring some crumbled leaves into one of his potions. Abandoned. By his own twin. He looked back to the furious ghost whose form became slightly more sinister, teeth long and sharp and eyes wide and black. Her body stretched until it towered over him and a slight breeze had started.

"INCONSIDERATE! INCORRIGIBLE! SCOURGE!" She howled.

"Umm… I'm sorry? I really didn't mean it like that," Harry offered. The look she gave him spoke of being highly unimpressed and he was sure her tirade would begin anew and, this time, she would physically kill him.

"I do believe Harry is sincere," Severus's distracted voice spoke up from overtop another potion, its glowing lights throwing shadows over his face. The words were so casual that Harry was sure they would have zero effect on the furious girl but they seemed to be magical all their own for all at once Myrtle was a normal girl again, her eyes widened with curiosity and disbelief.

" _You_ are Harry Potter?" She floated around him, observing him from head to toe. He nodded in the affirmative, glad that his name was serving a good purpose. "You don't look anything how I imagined you."

"How'd you think I looked?" Harry pouted. He thought he was a cute kid.

"Another Sevvie-poo or at least more like him," she shrugged. There it was again. Sevvie-poo. He didn't even bother looking over to his brother, he knew the boy was completely absorbed in his work and likely had been disturbed by either the breeze or the slightly trembling floor.

"So, how do you know my brother?" Harry plopped onto the floor. He planned on going back to the dorm after curfew already so he had nothing but time.

"There were some fifth year boys in here teasing me. Horrid, horrid lads. Stupid Gryffindors with nothing better to do. Sevvie-poo came and scared them off. Then we came up with a plan to really scare the pants off them!" The wicked smile that pulled at her thin lips told Harry to definitely not ask what a ghost and his twin could have done to scare a pair of boys. The answer would no doubt be disturbing. She looked over her shoulder at Severus and her smile sweetened. "Now he brings me books and helps me get stronger. And I make sure no one comes into _my_ bathroom so that he can brew all he wants."

"Oh wow. I'm glad Severus could come in and save you," Harry grinned.

"He's my knight in shining armor. Do you want to see what I've learned?" Myrtle returned his expression. Harry nodded excitedly and watched as the girl, face twisted in concentration, flipped his bag open and slowly pulled a scroll out. She held it in her grasp for ten seconds before dropping it with a huff of unneeded breath.

"Oh wow! So cool!" Harry applauded.

"Do you _really_ think so?" She eyed him suspiciously. Harry nodded earnestly. He didn't know much about ghosts except that they were incorporeal so it had to be impressive that she could physically pick up things! Plus she had made that breeze and the tremors. He told her as much. For the first time since he arrived the girl gave him a bright smile. "Well then thank you."

"Do you want to help me with my list?" Harry asked, picking up the scroll she dropped and pulling out a pen. Yes, a regular muggle pen. He hated quills with a passion and was awfully glad he remembered to sneak in a pen.

"A list for what?" Myrtle disappeared then reappeared at his shoulder.

"Severus and I are throwing a party—oh, did you want to come? It's a costume party but it's okay if you can't get one," Harry joked. Myrtle giggled and made to bump his shoulder, going through him instead and sending a rather gross chill down his spine. Not that he minded.

"Sevvie-poo did invite me to a party but…"

"But what?" It wasn't like she had a previous engagement. Instead of smiling with him the girl floated in front of him and a sad expression drifted across her face.

"I don't want to ruin your party by being there. I ruin everything."

"What? Who said that?"

"My classmates. Sometimes my appa."

"Well they're wrong. Please come to our party. We would really, really like it if you came. In fact we'll be sad if you don't," Harry allowed his hand to hover over hers, hoping that she would understand that he wanted so badly to touch her and reassure her that he was being sincere. Myrtle seemed frozen, her eyes steadily gaining a shiny wetness until tears spilled down her cheeks, disappearing long before they hit the ground. Oh. Oh no. He didn't mean to make her cry! He raised his hands and began to take back his words, sure that she was crying from being forced to come to a party.

"I… would love… to come!" Myrtle cried, chest heaving with each wet word. She gave a slight bow. "Thank... you very… much!"

"That's great!" Harry cheered, thrusting up a fist. Myrtle copied his movement while her other hand attempted to wipe away her tears that seemed to have no end. "Now you can help me make this list of food and candy to have at the party!"

—+

TBC

This is exactly why I didn't keep it as one big ole story. Too long it would have been.

Next up!

Halloween party and Quidditch!


	12. Partay

There were probably several ways their Halloween party could have gone better. Perhaps Severus could have gotten slightly less scary decorations. After all, all the people at the party were eleven year olds and even a grown adult would pass out if a scarecrow suddenly grabbed them when, by all appearances, it was just a scarecrow. Well it was funny seeing Draco scream at an octave he never heard and Seamus jumped directly into a nearby Dean's arms, sending them both tumbling to the ground. Ha. But what wasn't funny was the old woman, smiling a smile too big and staring a stare too hard serving the punch. She didn't speak and Harry was sure she didn't blink. Like sixty percent sure because he couldn't look at her too long or they'd make eye contact and he made that mistake once too often.

So yeah. The decorations could have been scaled back. But there was also the candy situation. Harry should have gotten twice as much which made sense. Once again, this was a kids' party and he knew that they as a species could devour sweets in a blink of an eye. Luckily he got a chance to take pictures because as soon as the doors open the candy was _gone._ That was a bad sign but it was still manageable what with the cake and biscuits still available. There were also little _goodie bags_!

More candy next year, most definitely. Another thing to consider is perhaps not inviting literally every single first year. There was some tension between students which only got worse when the candy ran out and everyone was hyped up on the sweets and danger of breaking the rules. Unfortunately that lead to some things… some mean things being said, causing one student to run out of the party to cry in private thus causing one, two—oh, three people to go after them.

One last thing to consider was a different location. This place didn't really have the best air circulation or the space to host so many kids, making Harry feel hot and breathless. If it wasn't so seemingly dark, cramped and hot Harry wouldn't have left for fresh air and he wouldn't have investigated the crying he heard passing the abandoned classroom.

But all in all, Harry was sure that what _really_ ruined their Halloween party was the troll. He pressed his back into Pansy (who screamed and tried to squeeze into the tiny corner a shrieking Hermione found herself shoved into). He had to think of something. He just had to. He couldn't let these two get hurt, he couldn't let them be killed in this filthy little bathroom, filled with terror. That wasn't the way anyone should die.

"Protego!" Harry shouted, knocking the large wooden bat (it was almost the size of a small tree) just enough off center to crash into the sink. Ceramic scattered everywhere, just barely missing him in the eye although a large chunk cut him across the cheek. At least the two girls behind him were spared but for how long? As the troll roared in anger, having stumbled back one step from his spell Harry decided that yeah, the troll was definitely the ruiner of this party.

Really though, he was jumping ahead of himself. He really should start at the beginning of this fateful day. Actually he should start a little bit earlier—exactly seven days before now.

—+

"What's so great about All Hallows' Eve?" Ron asked around a mouth full of food.

"There's the trick or treating and the costumes for starters," Harry grinned. Ron stared at him for blankly, obviously uncomprehending of the words coming from his mouth. Oh yeah, Ron was a pureblood wizard raised in pure blood wizard society so there was a big possibility that he didn't know the true amazingness of the holiday. After all, Severus didn't know what Halloween was until a few years ago. Then again Severus was raised on the run and didn't have time to learn holidays that were important and fun.

"Muggles use Halloween as a celebration, a fun way to dress up as monsters or famous people or animals and have fun. At night the kids go around to other houses to get candy," Harry explained.

"Wait so muggle kids are just… going up to strangers and begging for candy?" Ron frowned.

"Well when you say it like that, it sounds weird," Harry laughed.

"No it's just weird on its own," Dean piped up, making Harry realize that half of their year mates seemed extremely interested in what they were talking about. Oh this was a great time to tell them about the party. Wait, no. There were too many other prying eyes and ears around. He smiled at his fellow classmates and picked up his plate, walking quickly to the Slytherin table.

"Are you, perhaps, colorblind?" Blaise greeted him with a voice drier than sand. The boy's eyes were barely open though he somehow maintained grace and elegance as he ate.

"Perhaps," Harry replied simply with his biggest smile. The boy blinked at him slowly, obviously only half awake before Harry's words seemed to absorb and he dissolved into tiny giggles.

"Tereso, ah, your Harry is so funny," Blaise wiped away unseen tears. Severus gave no indication that he heard the boy or even knew that his brother had sat beside him but Harry wasn't surprised. Whenever Severus presses his face that close to a book, there was no point in trying to talk to him. Unless you were Harry. But Harry knew not to abuse such substantial power. He was responsible.

"So… candy here? What's it like?" Harry asked in a casual sort of way.

"You haven't had candy before?" Ah Pansy. He thought he could get used to the snooty and snide way she said each sentence. It was fun. Like finally being on the receiving end of his brother's nastiness. But in girl form.

"Well I just assumed wizard candy would be different," Harry shrugged.

"Most likely our candy is better than muggle candy," Draco took a delicate sip of his orange juice. Harry was very sure he didn't very much like the blond like a funny feeling in his gut having nothing to do with sharing Severus with a new 'family member'. Still, his smile didn't shift as the boy turned to another pair of Slytherins. "Goyle, Crabbe, provide samples." Harry watched with wide eyes as the boys promptly emptied their pockets and the table was covered in strange wrappers containing strange candy.

"Eww! Crabbe, Goyle! You boys suck on bloodlollies?" A small blond girl with great big blue eyes wrinkled her nose. Her delicate little hand came out to shove food she seemed to only be picking at away from her as though she were put off .

"Uh, er, no!" The large boy (who might be Crabbe but by that logic might also be Goyle as no one seemed to call on them individually) protested, snatching up the red lollies that Harry thought looked the most normal. His face was nearly giving off heat how hotly he blushed. "My stupid cousin sent them as a joke. They're not open or anything!"

"Don't be so judgmental, butterfly," Blaise picked out a wayward red lollipop, smoothly removing the wrapper and popping it into his mouth. The blond girl made a dramatically offended noise and turned her back to them. "They are actually very good."

"They're made out of blood," Draco said upon catching the slightly confused look on Harry's face. Oh. Oh! Harry blinked at the now red tinted smile Blaise bestowed upon him. Oh. Gross.

"What are these?" Harry grabbed a quivering box.

"Here, let me," Draco swiped the box from him. Before Harry could protest, the boy opened it and out hopped something—a frog! A frog made out of _chocolate_! Harry bit down on the creatures head, causing it to still and also filling Harry's mouth with the best chocolate ever made.

"No fair! How did you get Lady Gryffindor on the first try?" Draco whined, reminding Harry of Dudley. A richer, fancier Dudley but Dudley nonetheless. "Potter, I'll give you two hundred galleons for her." Harry perked up a bit at that, not really interested in the money but interested in Draco's obvious interest in the card. Harry leaned in to catch sight of the woman on the golden, ornately decorated card. Her hair was pretty cool, done up in sticks and little flames. But it was the eyes that caught his attention, curious and warm staring back at him.

"Hey! I've seen that lady before," Harry announced around the melting legs of his chocolate frog. It was the lady from his vault.

"Of course you have. Lady Gryffindor is almost as famous as Godric himself," the blond rolled his eyes. Harry leaned in as though getting closer would make this woman look less like the woman in his vault. But no. She still looked like her. Was it normal to have a magic portrait of a famous person? Harry suspected the answer was no. Oh and that the card was his. He plucked it from pale fingers too fast for Draco to stop him and slipped it into his pocket.

"Finders keepers," he grinned before turning back to the candy pile. Before he could pick another treat a familiar hand darted out for a jellybean and disappeared back behind a book. He looked to his brother just in time to catch the look of utter disgust dart across his face before his hand was back out grabbing another.

"Pick the blue one," Pansy suggested with a bright smile that just didn't look very right on her normally pinched face. Harry looked down at the little pile then back at the girl. Pansy was just as or meaner than Severus and he got the feeling she didn't particularly like him. Not in a she had it out for him sorta way more like she didn't like a lot of people sorta way. With all that information the only real conclusion is that she would trick him if given the chance.

"You won't fool me," Harry wagged a finger and wisely chose a green jellybean instead. And immediately spat it out as his mouth was filled with the taste of freshly cut grass.

"Fool," Pansy shook her head.

—+

"Will this be enough?" Harry dumped a handful of coins into the girl's cupped hands. Harry didn't know her too well, just that everyone called her 'Idyllic' and that she was trustworthy. She only wore black lipstick and she never let her hair grow into the thick, tight curls they could be. Oh and she was a sixth year Gryffindor, did well in class and was a complete loner—by choice and something a little more sinister according to rumors. But Harry knew you couldn't completely trust rumors. Rumors had it that he defeated the Dark Lord with his first word. The rumor that Idyllic did something so horrible, so terrible that she erased everyone's mind of her existence but missed the Headmaster and was thus cursed to live a life of loneliness while still being seen was completely and utterly absurd.

"How much candy can one kid eat?" Idyllic squinted, looking at the pile then back to him. It took him a long time to get her to talk to him and not just stare silently as he carried on. Harry was sure Severus would describe it as 'breaking her' but he liked to think his persistence simply helped her out of her shell. But only with him. He didn't see her talking to her year mates or anyone really.

"I like to be a squirrel sometimes or maybe I can sell them to other students who don't have cool older friends," he shrugged, sitting beside the thin girl. He held open the pouch and helped her dump the coins back in.

"That last bit didn't sound very noble," the girl traced a finger through the swirls etched into her shorn hair. He was quite honored when she asked for his help with the back of her hair, seeing in her wary expression that she didn't typically trust anyone so close. He thought he did a very good job for the first time.

"Being noble all the time is new to me," Harry gently knocked his shoulder against hers. A rare smile pulled at her lips for but a moment. Silently she pocketed the little bag of money and went back to the thick tome she was reading. He smiled even brighter.

Candy? Check!

Now he just had to figure out the food and they would be all ready. Harry contained his squeal just barely. He was so excited!

—+

Severus wasn't one for regrets, never understood obsessing over the past and reviewing every action over and over with a horrible dread in one's guts as you cannot change what's already happened but he had a very slight sense of hesitation as he sat before his cauldron. He's never quite seen a potion this shade of… colors. It rolled and bubbled and popped and with each movement it would subtly shift through shades of green. It was beautiful, hypnotizing. And it just needed one more ingredient.

"Sevvie-poo…"

Should he do this? It shouldn't be done, no one should have this sort of power. He should dump this half finished potion into a toilet and flush it away, never to be known or seen again. Severus frowned at his foolish thoughts but they sat so heavily on his brain that it tightened his hand around the pretty, red rock. He put so much work into this stone and the power it held. Countless hours, missed classes, sneaking into the forbidden section of the library and even breaking into Quirrell's office. So much hard work. And here was the result…

"Sevvie…"

Immortality. Or at least as close to immortality one could get. Severus scoffed. He didn't even care about immortality, thought it a foolish man's desire. Worse than foolish. A coward. Death was one enemy who was not meant to be defeated. He could be cheated as many times as he allowed but he never lost. Besides Severus was very sure he'd be bored to tears after the first century.

"Sev…"

He made this potion because he could. Because it had been complicated and exceedingly hard and time consuming. Because making it proved that he was just as good as his ma always believed.

"Severus."

His ma would be impressed, silently of course and his pa would insist they celebrate. Why was he crying? Severus rubbed at his eyes harsher than he intended but when he opened them he found himself looking at the put off face of Myrtle.

"I've been calling you!" She huffed.

"This potion is very delicate, give me another moment." Severus was done contemplating. Myrtle let out a small huff but floated to his side without arguing. Severus added the final ingredient, a simple sprinkle of grated Philosopher's stone. Now it just had to be left alone until… oh, nearly the end of the school year. Severus frowned and pulled away from the cauldron, signaling for the girl to move it back into its stall as magic would curdle his potion and it was too hot for him to touch.

"Now that that's done!" Myrtle slapped her hands together dramatically.

"Yes, what was of such great importance?"

"Ooh nothing," the ghost giggled, floating around him. Severus rolled his eyes and waited patiently for her to settle again, "the party is tonight." Ooh. Severus looked down at his wrist as though that held the answer to where time had gone. The party was tonight. And he had neglected to tell his fellow Slytherin. In his defense… hm, well he had managed to invite the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws… perhaps he didn't have a defense. Except that after he had gotten the decorations, his experimental potion had hit an important development and, well that was very important…

"Why am I doing this again?" Severus rubbed at his eyes. He didn't even like parties. He almost hated them especially if they were dragging him from something he deemed more important. Harry was lucky that Severus loved him.

"From what I understand, it's a bribe," Myrtle supplied helpfully, following him out of the bathroom and down into his dorms. Severus resisted the urge to stick out his tongue because that was childish. Yes he knows the birth of the party came from his own folly. Had he destroyed that oaf faster he wouldn't have been injured enough to inform Harry then he wouldn't have to offer up something to make his twin almost forget the entire incident. He was sure by the end of the night he'd find it all to be worth it.

+/-

It. Was. Not. Worth. It.

Severus burst into an abandoned classroom and tried to calm his hair thin nerves. He blamed Harry completely and utterly of course. The boy had been on a mission to undermine any and all nasty things he did, spinning them in such a charming way that he was seen as a shy boy with a secret heart of gold. All evening he had been assaulted by his fellow year mates as they marveled over his eccentric costume. Severus rolled artificial golden eyes. He and Harry were nymphs, he a fire and Harry a forest. Had he known it would grab so much attention he would have been much firmer in his no.

Severus flopped onto the ground, kicking up a thick layer of dust. Well he had to admit that he had done an amazing job on their costumes this year. The fire effect of his robes was perfect, quietly crackling and popping against his skin. He especially liked the crown Harry insisted on and made when he refused to do so. He knew he shouldn't have let the boy watch him make their costumes for so many years.

"Oh, um…"

Severus sighed through his nose and drew his knees a little closer to his chest. It was the one and only Longbottom. Of course it was. He seemed to always know where Severus was at any given time, if Severus didn't know better he would think the boy had some sort of tracking spell on him.

"A-are you okay? I um… I kinda saw you run out," Neville stammered out.

"I would hardly call it running," Severus denied, a bit of heat coming to his face. He hadn't ran. It was… more like a fast walk. Power walk. Yes. He power walked out of the party.

"Was it because everyone was touching you?" Neville questioned gently, approaching him slowly like one would a potentially dangerous animal. Well at least someone in this school had some common sense and didn't fall for Harry's well meaning propaganda. But still, the boy sat beside him and gave him a small smile. He was dressed as what Severus could only guess was a toad. Neville looked quite ridiculous the more he looked at him. Completely green with giant eyes atop his head and little warts all over him.

"No, it was the creepy old lady serving punch," Severus snarked.

"Please don't mention her, she was very scary," Neville shivered dramatically, "I almost think she's scarier than my gran." He reached into his toad green robes and pulled out a clear pouch filled with jelly beans and then two bottles of fizzy drinks. Severus eyed the treats with the highest suspicion. They were his favorites which he liked but how…? Neville must have sensed his brewing thoughts because his small smile grew twice as large and as bright as the sun while he held out the bag. "Harry told us that these are your favorite candy."

"Of course he did," Severus sighed and accepted the candy.

"He really loves you. You're all he talks about. That and Quidditch. I don't even think he'd be here if you and Quidditch didn't exist," Neville continued, biting into a cauldron cookie. Smoke dramatically spilled from his mouth and the cookie. Harry really did an excellent job on the snacks.

"I certainly wouldn't be here if it weren't for Harry," Severus smacked his lips against the horrible taste of earwax then hummed when the next turned out to be cupcake flavor.

"Why not? Hogwarts—Sev?"

His necklace was hot. It hadn't even become warm, just a sudden lava attempting to burn through his flesh. He stumbled to his feet, clumsily pressing the rock to his eye, hands wet with sweat. He prayed it wasn't anything serious, perhaps the talisman was malfunctioning but what he saw made his heart drop. A troll. Harry was pressed into a corner and there was a _troll_ attacking him.

"Sev! Where are you going?" Neville called after him. Bathroom. They were in a bathroom. Which bathroom. It couldn't have been his makeshift potion lab, Myrtle locked it and anyone who managed to get into it would alert her and she would alert him. There were two other bathrooms. One was in another abandoned classroom at the end of the hall. The other was the boy's bathroom which was closer to the party.

Severus stopped moving, brain racing and heart pounding. He didn't have time. Trolls were strong enough to crush a human to dust with one hand and once they were enraged their skin became almost as hard as diamonds. Harry didn't know any spells to defeat a troll, Severus only knew of two spells that could kill such a monster and one was an Unforgivable. Severus took a deep breath and immediately slapped a hand over his nose. Trolls stink. They stink so bad Severus could follow his nose right to the abandoned classroom. His magic slammed into the door, breaking it off the hinges.

There it was.

"Harry!" Severus couldn't help the shriek that escaped his throat. It seemed as though the troll was in mid-attack, the door striking the troll in its arm and sending his club into the stall where another pair of screams could be heard. Who—?

"Sev!"

Ooh.

The troll's attention was now on him.

+/-

Harry had tried.

He tried the best he could but his spells seemed to bounce off the troll and even the fire spell Severus used in the forest seemed to just piss it off even more. The most he could do was knock the troll's attacks off center but that wouldn't last too much longer. He was starting to get tired, his lungs seemed to tremble and his spells felt like they were almost dimming. And he could tell that the troll felt no such fatigue. In fact it seemed to get stronger the longer he held it at bay.

They were going to die, here in this bathroom. He, Hermione and Pansy. And soon Ron and another girl would follow them. The troll raised its weapon high over its head, smoke still rising off its flesh and Harry didn't want to see that. He dropped his wand, useless without any magic to fuel it, twisted around and threw himself over the two girls who had suddenly grown quiet because they knew too. Their hands clutched at him and Harry almost felt—

BOOM!

An explosion caused him to flinch but the voice that followed next and the fierce magic that whipped through the air and yet gently caressed his skin caused him to truly relax.

"Harry!" Harry met eyes with his savior, his twin brother and called back to him.

"Sev!" He wanted to jump up and run to the boy and hug him as tight as he could but—

"RARGHH!" The troll roared unintelligibly, spit flying from its disgusting mouth. Something was wrong, something was different. It's eyes, once dull and watery now seemed full of fire and Harry could literally see its skin harden even more, turning nearly white. It let out another roar and Harry could see that it wanted nothing more than to kill Severus. It hated him. It wanted to crush his brother and eat his remains.

"Sev! Run!" Harry shouted. Severus didn't budge, wand at the ready and—it hit Severus. Harry hadn't blinked, he hadn't taken a breath but the troll had crossed to Severus and it was swinging its wooden weapon and… and… Severus was gone. His body went flying into the darkness, loudly crashing into dozens of desks. And then there was silence. Complete and terrible. Only thing he could hear was his heart pounding in his chest. Severus. He. His brother was dead. The troll killed his Severus.

Harry felt his mouth dry and his body felt hot. Burning. His head hurt. He. He didn't. He didn't know what was happening. He stood up and when had his wand appeared in his hand again? He didn't know but he raised it. What spell would fall from his lips? He didn't know one that could hurt the troll, after all he had already gave it his all but something straining inside him insisted that he could do it. What was it? He didn't know but still he opened his lips.

"So. You have chosen death?" Huh? Harry practically flew backwards as the walls burst into shards but the stones did not strike any of them. Instead it froze in the air, suspended by magic so still Harry couldn't help but think that it was someone other than Severus. But it was him. There he was with his head bowed and his arm dangling uselessly at his side, blood steadily dripping onto the stone floor. Ooh and he was in the air. Harry almost didn't notice given how powerful his brother appeared, covered in glowing red flames, but yes, he was several feet in the air. For a moment he was reminded of that day so long ago but somehow this was different. The look in Severus's eyes was so much different. It was… cold.

"Sev?" Harry reached out his hand, too far to pull his brother out of the sky but feeling the desperate need to do so. Severus didn't spare him a glance, his entire being focused on the panting troll.

"You poor, stupid creature. To think you would stumble upon your death at such a young age. Do not fret. It will be over soon." Severus raised his uninjured wand arm and Harry was sure that the troll had let out a roar but that was impossible because its head was no longer upon its shoulder. Its body didn't know that the head was missing, swinging recklessly and violently. Harry spun around and jumped atop the two girls, knocking them down. The wooden bat crashed into the stalls, the walls, and very nearly them.

"Oh. That. Will. Not. Do." There was the sound of wind and then it all stopped. A hand landed on his bowed head and Harry slowly opened his eyes, meeting a pair so warm and brown he was reminded of chewy brownies.

"Severus?" Harry whispered. His brother was still defying gravity, still surrounded by that tangible, still magic. He was still in his costume, his crown of fire tilted and his robes falling forward as a curtain of brilliant flames. He tried to look away from the brightness, tried to see what had become of the troll but Severus's hand would not allow it.

"Are you okay, Harry?" He repeated, his hand gently brushed through his hair. Harry felt tears fills his eyes. Severus was covered in blood; it dropped from his head, it dimmed the flames where it soaked through his robes and no telling what was going on inside him! How was Severus worried about him? "Harry?"

"Yeah, I'm okay," Harry said strongly, suppressing the water threatening to clog his voice. He stood up and held out his arms to the floating boy.

"Ooh good," Severus sighed and fell so gently into the waiting arms. Harry lowered them to the ground, curled around the small body and filled with relief at the strong heartbeat he felt.

"Harry? Is he okay?" That was Hermione. Harry remained silent, words unable to push past his lips. When had he closed his eyes? He just barely managed to open them enough to look at the bushy haired girl but that was enough for her. "Windgardum leviosa." Harry felt himself and his precious package slowly be picked up by magic but he felt no need to panic. He relaxed into the magic and then against the cold stone he had been placed against.

"Whoa! What—!" He heard Ron scream. But he had shut his eyes again and he just knew they wouldn't open for a long time.

"Shh, you bumbling fool," Pansy hissed.

"What happened? Where's the troll?" Ron whispered.

"Are you blind? It's right there—Severus saved us."

"B-but that's just…" huh. Harry had only spared the briefest thought of that monster, hadn't even really thought of what Severus could have done to it but whatever it was it seemed to leave Ron speechless.

"Is he alright? Should we do something?" A girl murmured.

"Harry is exhausted from trying to fight the troll and Severus is severely injured. Pansy knows advanced healing magic so she will keep him stable and I will assist as best I can. You two will go summon professors—Professor Lupin is closest I believe. It is likely that someone heard the commotion and already did but we will be sure." Wow. Hermione sure was bossy.

"Did you not hear me? Go now!" Harry grinned internally. He knew she was so, so cool. They were in good hands, he knew it so he let himself relax and fall into silence.

By the time the teachers came (lead by the teary eyed Neville) Pansy was still bowed over the twins, her lips moving quickly and her magic filling the room with gentle, healing warmth. Her hands were steady but the sweat dripping from her forehead revealed just how straining it was. Hermione, who was pressed into her back, seemed to be pouring her own magic into the girl, a glow familiar to the experienced professors surrounding her.

"What… is that?" Peter squinted at the strange thing lying upon the floor, far from the children.

"Dear Merlin that's a troll!" Remus choked out, grabbing his friend and practically flinging him away from the limbless monster. At the shout, Hermione lost her concentration and the power transfer stopped and with it Pansy collapsed.

"Please… help him," Hermione managed to whisper before she too fell unconscious.

"What happened here?" Albus Dumbledore demanded, a panting Ron and Cho Chang behind him.

TBC

An update? In my fic? It's more likely than you think :)


	13. Sevvie 1 Dumbles 0

Plus ultra!

-/+

The abandoned classroom had been completely destroyed, desks having been tossed aside as though something had been thrown through them and the blood. Minerva could hardly believe that all this blood came from one small child. But it did! Only Severus sustained any injuries. This was all the blood of her Severus. Tears filled her eyes and she almost couldn't bring herself to look at the bathroom. How could this happen? The wall had been completely destroyed, blown away until the only thing that stopped everything from crumbling was the strong magic weaved into the castle. Every stall, sink and even the floor had been destroyed, likely by the troll. Good Merlin, the troll. She was not sure how but somehow Severus, a first year, had completely… she couldn't even describe what he had done to the creature. It had been completely voided of its limbs but without a drop of blood.

"He's a monster," Pettigrew whimpered, pulling nervously at his hair. Minerva blinked. Oh yes, she wasn't on the second floor. She hadn't been on the second floor since yesterday. All the professors had been summoned for a meeting about the incident. "We should expel him."

"Mr. Pettigrew!" Minerva snapped. What she saw was shocking, yes but she would not have anyone speak of her dear friend (even unknowingly) in such a way.

"Peter!" Remus gasped at the same time.

"The troll didn't have any limbs!" Pettigrew shouted, slamming his fist into the table. His heart pounded in his chest and he felt bile rise in the back of his throat. Never in his life, even as a Death Eater has he ever seen such a horrific sight! Even Snape with all his sniveling, evil ways never did anything like that. He was so horrified that he didn't even care that his master was glaring holes into his head and his Mark started to itch. This Potter had to go, at any cost. "Its head! Its legs! Its fucking arms were all gone! That's not normal! That kid is a danger to everyone around him."

"Magic that advanced is not taught to children for a reason. What if… dear lord what if he got into a fight with another child?" Pomona worried at her bottom lip.

"See! Someone with sense! We should snap his wand and ban him from the magical world all together!" Peter hid a wince and tried his very best to make his crossed arms look natural and not like his Dark Mark was flaring hot pain up his arm. He wouldn't say another word but he already said all he wanted to. If he managed to get the demon out of the school he was sure he could spin it in a way that made his master pleased. After all, if Severus Potter was expelled he'd have nowhere else to go but the Dark Lord if he loved magic as much as he seemed to. Yes, yes that was a good cover up but he'd have to get all those words out before he was tortured.

"I…" Remus licked his lips and took a deep breath. What he saw scared him to death, it surely did but what scared him most… "The troll's skin was nearly white which means it was at its hardest and practically impossible for even our seventh years to defeat. Most spells would have bounced off it. If Severus had not acted as he did…"

Remus felt his words die, unable to speak them into existence.

"All six of those children would have died," Sinistra finished his thought, sipping her tea. She let out a sigh and turned her gaze to the ceiling as though to see the stars beyond it. "The boy is a gentle soul. He had no design to mutilate a troll. He saw his fellow classmates and his very own flesh and blood in trouble and he did everything in his power to save them. Lady Magic favors the boy and the stars guide him. For that he should not be punished for it."

"Hmph I don't know about all of that but what I can agree with is that the boy saved those kids. If he happened to use magic I've never seen before," Rolanda shrugged, "so be it." Then her expression hardened and she turned a glare to each professor before her. "My true question is how did the troll reach those children?"

"A-and what w-w-were the k-k-kids doing outside of b-b-bed?" Quirinus added.

"These are all fine questions! Where is Albus in all of this?" Professor Binns inquired. He normally didn't attend these meetings but this was just such an interesting case! He almost felt like he had flesh and bones. The fact that they were meeting to decide the fate of one of their students mattered very little to him.

"He's in the infirmary," Minerva answered quietly. She always knew that Severus was a powerful wizard, had known that he had an almost disturbing knowledge of the Dark Arts—she even knew that he used that knowledge and that power to harm people at one point but she had never seen it with her own eyes. In his first childhood he was bullied and got into fights with many students and still he never showed such dark fierceness. Was this really her Severus or was this something newer? Something more evil?

-/+

Am I dead?

That was the first thought that came to Severus. He felt light, like he was flying through the air in the middle of the night with his ma. It was the only time he was okay being in the air, supported by his own magic which was always reliable. And ma. Oh his ma loved to fly without a broom. The joy of such an action was clear on her every time her feet left the ground. But it was a secret. She always told him that they could only do it when no one else was around to see them, always told him to never, ever let anyone see him do such a thing without a broom.

Oh.

He should see her soon then. He was dead after all. Killed by a troll of all things. Severus wondered if his ma would be disappointed in him for losing to a dumb animal. He wondered if she would cry seeing him die so soon. He was only eleven. He didn't want to be dead.

"What…? Get… him!"

Huh? Severus blinked back the tears burning his eyes and turned in the endless darkness surrounding him. What was that voice? Was it Harry? Had he died too?! Of course he had. Severus allowed himself to be killed with the first blow! Pathetic, weak!

"I said…!"

Again.

Was that a light? Yes. In the darkness, so far, far away was a light. It was dim but in the darkness it shone like a beacon. Should he walk towards it? Did he want to? No, he wouldn't want to live in a world where he allowed his brother to die and he didn't want to walk towards a death where his brother would be waiting for him. No, this little space of darkness was good for him. He would stay here until the end of time.

"Severus! Wake…!"

"Harry!" Hm. That sounded like that clumsy twit, Longbottom. Of course it was Longbottom. That kid was always around. But wait. Longbottom hadn't been in the bathroom during the incident. He had run off in the opposite direction in case Severus was wrong then he was to find Draco and have him evacuate the party while he went to find professors to help. Had they all failed? Did the troll rampage after killing them and murdered all of his year-mates?

No.

The professors were incompetent idiots for the most part but they were still powerful adult wizard and witches. He may have not saved himself and the other children in the bathroom but he did not serve all the first years on a platter for that monster.

"Harry, don't!" That was Weasley, the leech always attached to his brother.

"No! Draco! You get… off…! Let me go!"

Wait. Was he alive? Severus took a step forward. Was _Harry_ alive? Severus started to run. As he ran, he remembered. The troll had hit him, hit him harder than he's ever been hit. He had felt the bones in his arm, hip and even his spine practically explode. His skull had cracked as his head hit the first desk and his other leg had snapped as he continued to crash through the room. Yes, that had happened and he was sure he had died but then he felt the heat on his necklace and he remembered. Harry was in trouble. Harry was going to die. He had to save him. He had to use every spell, every bit of magic he knew to save his twin—his only last bit of family! Even if it meant breaking his ma's trust and exposing their secret.

Severus reached for the light, caught it in his hand and burst into the real world.

"Sev!" Brilliant, sparkling green like emeralds of the greatest value filled his vision. Skin tanned by hours in the sun. Wild hair that managed to stand in every direction.

"Harry," he croaked. His throat felt dry and his entire body felt so very heavy almost like there was a boulder the length of him equally pressing down on every part of his body. And yet he didn't feel much pain. His body was almost numb but he could tell that only the best spells and potions had been used on him. The aftertaste of the blood replenishing potion still sat lightly on his lips.

"Sev!" Harry shouted again and this time he threw himself on top of his brother. "Thank God you're awake!" He felt wet tears eyes start to deep into his shirt and the body enveloping him in the warmest embrace started to shake with half held back sobs. "Thank God, you're awake! I thought… I thought!"

"That a stupid troll could kill me? Don't make me laugh," Severus smirked tiredly. Oh he was so tired. And heavy. Severus attempted to look down at himself but Harry caught his face.

"Don't look at it," Harry said.

"Don't look at what?" Sweet Merlin was the heaviness a sort of phantom pressure of his missing limbs?! Was his wand arm okay?

"Just… they said this was normal procedure but I was trying to get them off before you woke up," Harry frowned, throwing a dark look over his shoulder. Severus followed his gaze. Ah. Dumbledore. The old man stood at the foot of his bed with his twinkling blue eyes and a sense of having something over him. Severus felt his blood freeze. Had the other kids told the old geezer he could fly without a broom? Had he witnessed it with his own two eyes?

"Harry, what's making me feel so heavy?" No. If Dumbledore had seen what he could do, there was no way he'd still be here. He'd be in the Ministry or somewhere that didn't exist until he spilled every secret, every spell and every scrap of knowledge he had. They would probably even bring in a necromancer to resurrect his ma and pa.

"It's nothing," Harry insisted even as his strong hands kept Severus's head still.

"They've bound you with magic dampening chains, magic nullifying cuffs and a collar that stops you from speaking spells," Draco. The blond gave Harry a push hard enough to send him tumbling off the bed and onto the unforgiving floor. Severus felt his eyes widen at the horror that was his body. No wonder he felt as though a boulder was pressing down on him—there _was_ a boulder pressed upon him. He had chains crossing his chest, cuffs holding his hands in front of himself and now that he knew he could feel the collar slapped across his throat. The runes on each glowed a soft white to indicate he was no threat. He was tied up like a dangerous animal! He turned his eyes back to the Headmaster. He was going to kill him. He was going to shred these chains like paper, get up from this bed and he was going to ki—

"AH!" Severus let out a scream as his restraints gave him a nasty shock. He fought against it but the pain seemed to double. He let out a curse and flailed as best as he could.

"Severus, stop!" Harry shouted. No, no! Severus would not stop. He wanted out of these chains, he wanted his magic free and he wanted to _kill Dumbledore!_ The old coot was the reason this all happened, he was sure of it!

"Please stop fighting," the old man said. No! He would never stop! Not until he had that head dangling from his fingers. "The chains are not possible for you to break and the more you attempt to use magic, the more they will hurt you."

"To… Hell… With… You!" Severus hissed, struggling even harder. He shrieked at the intense burst of pain that coursed through his body but still he tried until…

"What happened to him!" Harry shouted, breaking out of Ron's hold and rushing to his brother. Severus had gone still, his face slack and the chains back to the soft white they had been up until now. He looked almost dead but the soft pants that left his parted lips shook him of that notion very quickly.

"Oh this boy is so reckless. Everyone out! Out! You've caused enough stress to my patient!" Madam Pomfrey came bustling into the room. She deftly moved Harry out of her way and began a diagnosis. "Really! It's bad enough that the child is all tied up but to cause him stress on top of it! Go to dinner children—now!"

"I want to stay!" Harry insisted.

"I allowed you to stay for two days now and that will be all! I will alert you when he awakens again. Now shoo!" The mediwitch waved them on. She paused at the stubborn tilt of the boy's head and how none of the children seemed to move. Well, this little redhead had saved their lives and now he was being treated as a criminal. "Okay, go eat dinner, take a shower and then come back."

"Deal!" Harry shouted. He gave his unconscious twin a hug then dashed through the door, trailed by the small gang of children. Pomfrey shook her head and turned back to her patient.

"Oh my," she whispered.

"What is it?" Albus shuffled closer but she held up a hand.

"That was for you too, Headmaster. Go to dinner," she commanded. She waited until her employer left before she turned back to the boy. She loved Albus, looked up to him even, but she knew that he had a side no one ever wanted to look too closely at. It was a side she, herself, didn't want to look at and she knew that seeing this would definitely cause nothing but troubles.

"Oh Severus, you have always been such a troublemaker," Poppy sighed as she began to repair the broken collar and slightly cracked chains.

-/+

"Harry, Pansy. Can I talk to you?" Hermione stopped the little group.

"I have to hurry and eat so I can get back to Sev!" Harry reminded her. He didn't want to waste even a single second.

"It's important. Please," Hermione insisted.

"Why do I have to be a part of this?" Pansy grumbled. She hadn't even meant to be in the hospital wing at the time. They all had their shifts (except Harry who was a constant) and it was time for her to switch out with Longbottom but then there was some sort of mix up and they were all there when Severus had woken up and that whole spectacle happened. She pinched the bridge of her nose. She should have never gone after that twit.

"We will see you at dinner then I'll go back with Harry after he showers," Neville announced, grabbing Draco and Ron by the wrists and easily dragging them along with him. Hermione didn't speak until the two were out of sight and only to tell the other two to follow her. She led them down several hallways, around several bends and then to an abandoned classroom.

"Merlin, Granger what has your feathers so ruffled?" Pansy sniffed, falling gracefully into a chair.

"We cannot tell anyone what happened—not what Severus had done at least," Hermione said but it was the way she said it. It was rushed and urgent and insistent like she was scared that someone would walk through the door at that very moment.

"What do you mean?" Harry frowned. His brother was a hero! He had saved all of their lives!

"Harry, are you an idiot?" Pansy sighed. Again. It was the way the girl said it. It wasn't mean or harsh. It almost sounded like a regular question.

"Your brother was flying," Hermione whispered.

"Yeah?" Harry shrugged.

"Harry! That's impossible!" Hermione threw up her arms.

"Well, no it's not. Because Severus has done it before and he did it again just recently." Maybe Harry wasn't understanding something. No. The gaping mouths and the wide eyes let him know that he was definitely not understanding something.

"Harry. No one can fly without a broom," Pansy said firmly.

"Severus can."

"Harry." Hermione placed her hands on his shoulders and she leaned close enough that their noses almost touched. "There is not a single spell, a single potion or ritual that allows a witch or wizard to fly without a broom. There are spells that can stop them from falling, we can use weightless charms or even floating ones but not one of them is _flying_."

Oh.

Oh!

"Shite," Harry breathed. Severus could do magic that no one else could.

"Yeah. Shite," Pansy scoffed.

-/+

When Severus woke up again he felt lighter. Much lighter but still a heaviness that sat on his throat. His bleary eyes blinked against the soft sunlight. Artificial serenity courses through him. He licked his lips.

"A variation of Collie's Calming Potion," he murmured into the air.

"Yes, it seems as though you have quite the resistance to potions." Dumbledore was there. Severus sighed and his head rolled loosely across the pillow until he could actually see his esteemed guest. He had felt the old man and his power as soon as he felt himself coming back into consciousness. It was like an overbearing, stinging sort of power. Normally he would be able to ignore it, push out his own magic to give him a sort of protective skin but he was too relaxed and his mind was a little cloudy.

"You're what my pa would call a 'pain in the ass'. If he were alive he would have decked you long ago. Ah. You've given me a truth serum," Severus could almost taste it when he gave a heavy breath. Well it wasn't quite a truth serum, more like a hard to lie potion. Giving a true truth serum to a student was highly unethical and very illegal. Not that he would put it past the coot.

"I would like to know what happened on Halloween night," Albus responded.

"Did Harry and the others not tell you?" His blanket was so white and crisp much like a muggle hospital but it magic kept it warm. It was delicate, small magic.

"I would like to hear your version."

"You weren't in Hogwarts: A History. My ma read it to me cover to cover and I've never forgotten a word she's spoken to me. And you were not in it. Don't you find it strange?"

"She could have had an older version."

"Perhaps but I do not think so. My mother quite frequently updated her books, why neglect that one?"

"Just what are you implying, young Severus?"

"I told you not to use that name!" Severus hissed or at least he tried. The anger fizzled out by the second word and it sounded like an airy sigh. He looked from the sheets and to the curtains. They were laced with magic, very faintly but he could see it clear as day. Ooh, Dumbledore had asked him a question. "I don't know what it means but it must mean something. It is an inconsistency. My ma…"

"You mean the woman who kidnapped you?"

"Dumbledore…" he did not like where this was going.

"From what I understand of your 'ma' is that she stole you from the Potters—a nice, loving wizarding couple beloved by all—to live a life on the run and in secret. What was it that she told you you were running from?"

"Headmaster." He meant it as a warning.

"Inconsistencies are all you've ever known, S—Mr. Potter. You did not have a true birthday, a stable home or even a face. Your life was a lie."

"Albus." He could not speak a spell but he'd figure out a different way. Perhaps he could use the soup mug and first burn then bash the man to death.

"There was no danger, no boogeyman. They lied to you so that they can keep you captive and compliant. Muggles call it Stockholm Syndrome."

"Before I graduate I will kill you." He meant it even though there was a gentle smile on his face.

"Five points from Slytherin." Severus did not need to see the man to know that he was grinning and twinkling. "Now about Halloween night. You threw a party…"

"I left it because too many people were too close. Neville joined me then…" Severus did not touch his necklace, did not want the old man to think of what it could be, "I smelled the troll. I ran towards it because Harry is always in trouble. You know that's the second monster to attack him? I wonder why, hm?" He fiddled with the blanket again. "The troll didn't like me very much and it attacked. I… it's blurry. I remember getting hit then I remember hurting and thinking of Harry. Then." Severus shrugged. He remembered Harry, asking if he was okay and feeling relief when the boy said yes. After that it was all darkness.

"What magic did you use on the troll?"

"I can't remember."

"Ms. Granger, Ms. Parksinson and Harry all recall hearing wind."

"I can't remember."

"The troll was without its head and limbs but there was not a drop of blood."

"I cannot remember."

"Magic like that is highly sophisticated. Where did you learn it?"

"None of your business." He grinned at the anger that flared from the man at his bedside. It must sting to know the truth.

"Do you wish to be expelled?" Ooh. They were playing that game but Severus had a counter for that.

"Do you wish Harry to leave?" He didn't quite know what the old man wanted with his Harry but he knew that he wanted him but Harry was his. He would not stay at Hogwarts. Even now he was on the verge of leaving. That's how much Harry loved him. "You've made a mistake old man. You let a troll attack him and his friends then, after his brother saves their lives, you chain him up like a wild animal. Did you think my display would frighten him? Don't make me laugh."

Silence fell upon them. So much so that Severus actually turned to look at Dumbledore. Ooh. That's why. Dumbledore was practically seething. Severus laughed. He laughed as hard as he could. The old man _had_ thought that! Severus could hardly believe it. To think that using terrible violence against life threatening danger would be enough to drive any sort of distance between him and his twin!? Fool!

"You do not know me and you do not know my brother. I'm feeling rather sleepy. Please leave." He rolled onto his side and pulled the warm white sheet up to his shoulder.

"Ooh," Severus called out just as the old man reached the door. He pointed to the collar he had almost forgotten about, "I expect this to be removed the next time I wake up. Thank you."

He had never been so satisfied hearing a door slam with monstrous force.

-/+

TBC

I technically plan these chapters but I also technically don't. Especially when its 4am. But there ya go. Happy to serve!


	14. Who you Killing?

Let's start!

-/+

"Detention? For two months!?" Draco squawked, waving his arms dramatically in the air. Things had calmed down considerably now that Severus was completely freed of any bondage and his wand rested peacefully under his pillow. Unfortunately he wasn't fit to leave the Hospital Wing and Pomfrey had bound him within the perimeter of his bed after his fifth escape attempt. And that is why he found himself sharing his bed with Draco, a chess board between them.

"I was out after curfew, throwing a party. Not to mention I've been skipping most of my classes," Severus hummed low, attention mostly on the board. Draco was an excellent player and, if he weren't careful, he was sure that the boy would get close to beating him. Not actually beating him but pretty close.

"Yes, yes and we have all received detention for the party but the most I've heard was a week," Draco crossed his arms across his chest. He did not like this one bit. His very own family was being punished for saving five lives and who knows how many others! A strange feeling weighed down on his chest. He hadn't been any help against the troll, powerless to do anything more than evacuate the students as far away as he could before they ran into the three professors Longbottom managed to gather. He had been utterly useless while a fellow little kid almost died defending!

"I heard that they considered expelling you," Draco bit out in disgust. He had nearly barged right into the professors' lounge upon hearing the rumors. But, he had hospital duties and being by his family's side was more important.

"Hmm, I can very much imagine that to be true." Severus wasn't naive. It would make sense that Dumbledore or someone close to him (like that filthy rat man) had advocated strongly for him to be expelled, maybe even stripped of his wand and banished. Whether that was because he was a true threat or simply because he was in the way of getting Harry he could not say. He liked to think it was both.

"Wait until father hears of this. He will have Dumbledore—."

"No."

"What?" Draco gaped at him as though he had grown a second head. Severus had already given it a lot of thought, almost too much thought and he had come to the conclusion that he should take the small victory he had already claimed and find another way to bring the old fool down.

"No. Check."

"What do you mean no?" Draco demanded, moving his king out of the way of the vicious rook.

"I mean you cannot tell your father any details that will cause him to do something as foolhardy as drag me or my brother into the spotlight against the Headmaster," Severus sighed. He wanted to tell the elder Malfoy, he wanted to tell the whole world in fact that Dumbledore was worse than incompetent—he was purposely a scheming old coot who didn't give one lick about certain students over the other. But he couldn't. "I used magic I cannot explain to kill something I should not have been able to. Check."

"You can not explain it or you refuse to explain it?" Draco frowned. He was being chased around the board and there was very little chance he could win. Well, there was no need to prolong the inevitable. He flicked his king, gracefully accepting defeat. Well, _he_ did but the animated piece let out a dramatic wail and took nearly an entire minute to fall down.

"Both." Severus leaned against his pillows. Madam Pomfrey had slowly weaned him off the pain potions so he felt more awake but his body had a dull throb that echoed faintly. After what he had been through, a dull thud was something to be grateful for.

"Severus, this is serious! You could have died and they're giving you detention!" Draco insisted.

"Just think for a moment, Draco. I am a first year student who was, by all appearances, raised in the muggle world. How did I defeat the troll?"

"You… I never asked."

"And no one has told you—for very good reasons. Parkinson and Granger both saw what I did and yet no one else knows. Weasley, Chang and Longbottom all saw the aftermath. Not to mention multiple professors. Still, it hasn't gotten out. Why do you think so?"

"You… did you use Dark magic?" Draco whispered, leaning in close. Severus waved him back and shook his head.

"Closer to forgotten magic. My pa wasn't magically powerful, practically a squib in fact, but he had a fascination for old magick. He always had rare, special tomes and he often shared them with me. That aside, do you think I want the Ministry to know that I'm powerful? That I will only gain more power? What do you think they will do to me?"

"Well aren't you humble," Draco sneered but it was half hearted because, honestly, Draco didn't have to think about what the Ministry would do to Severus, he knew what they would do. When he was about nine, he had been in his father's study (where he wasn't allowed without permission) and going through his many, many files (which he definitely wasn't allowed to do ever) when he stumbled across a big, big pile of files shoved all the way in the back of a drawer. In it were half a dozen witches and wizards, smiling in their photos but the words he read were nothing but horrors. Unique magic, unexplained magic, powerful magic. All of these wizards and witches were something special and all of them were being held against their will, broken and then rebuilt into proper weapons. Or they died trying.

"We can…" Draco tried. But really what could they do without it backfiring on Severus Potter? Not to mention Harry the Chosen One. Who knows how the media would twist this all around?

"It is a victory that I have not been expelled and an even greater victory that I have not been carted off. I would truly hate to have to kill every government official on my way out," Severus yawned.

"Severus!" Draco gasped, absolutely scandalized. The boy spoke so casually of murder like one would speak of buying a bag of tea. And he was completely serious and without hesitation.

"Seek the devil and he will come." Severus muttered before embarrassingly falling asleep.

-/+

"I _told_ you he would say that! Practically word for word. Severus thinks like ten steps ahead," Harry scoffed as he scrubbed a cauldron. He wondered if there was another form of detention that he could volunteer for. This was not only boring but it was exceedingly easy given that he had done more at the Dursley's at the age of five.

"Well how was I to know that he really is a complete lunatic?" Draco pouted as he too scrubbed a cauldron. Harry was quite surprised that the boy even knew how to do such a thing, much less at the speed that he was doing it at.

"I mean… is he? I didn't see what he did but it took something no first year should have," Ron said from across the room. He was scrubbing the floor with a toothbrush. There was a frown wrinkling his brows and he scrubbed a little harder to get rid of the troll's corpse. He was going to be seeing a head witch until the end of his days! And he was never getting on Severus's bad side. Nope. Not in a million years.

"The blood traitor is correct. And besides, it's not like I want people knowing what I can do," Pansy mused from her desk polishing duties. The magic she had used on Severus was one she didn't quite understand herself but she knew that her late mother had begged her to never let anyone see it. But that had been an emergency—she couldn't let Severus die! Not after saving their lives using unknown magic himself—and no one knew the true extent of Severus's wounds or she too would have been bound in chains and possibly shipped off to be used by their government.

"Me either," Hermione admitted quietly from her side. She hadn't done anything as amazing as Severus, Harry or Pansy but she did use magic that a first year should not be able to wield or even have any knowledge of. Power transfer was delicate magic. If she had made even the smallest mistake she would have killed all three of them. Her hands sometimes shook at the thought but she was glad she had used her knowledge to save a life.

"So what? We just let Dumbledore get away with chaining him up? For punishing him?" Draco angrily dropped the cauldron into steaming hot water.

"Well I didn't say that…" Harry grinned and it was almost like the temperature dropped several degrees.

-/+

Dumbledore looked… disturbed, Severus noted as he entered the Great Hall much too early in the morning. It had been nearly a week since he's seen the Headmaster and the man looked much worse for wear. Dark bags had appeared under his eyes and, though the others probably wouldn't notice, the old man was tense. His eyes were quick to locate the new person entering the room and Severus was sure that Dumbledore had reached for his wand for a moment before realizing that it was just Severus. Only for the twinkling blue eyes to narrow on him and a hint of suspicion twisted the wrinkled face.

"Is it you, Mr. Potter? Are you doing this?" Dumbledore's voice was quiet and dangerous, filled with an old power built over decades of hard training and over many battles. Severus felt that cold hand of fear slide down his spine but he ignored it in favor of letting his brain work. Something was obviously happening to the old man but Severus couldn't even begin to guess what it could be.

"I hate to admit being ignorant but that seems to be the case this time around," Severus yawned, still under the effects of various potions. "I'll leave you to your… troubles, Headmaster." He gave the old man a half wave and confidently turned his back. After all, he truly had no idea what was wrong with the old man. As he left, he was sure he heard… giggling? Like a small group of children. He was tempted to look back, tempted to see what was plaguing the man but Severus was sure that he didn't care. Yes, absolutely positive.

The redhead slowly made his way to the Gryffindor's tower and gave the Fat Lady a dopey, sleepy grin that (predictably) caused her to swoon and allow him entry.

She really wasn't the best guard, Severus thought idly as he climbed through. Seriously, he had spent so much time and effort to steal the password only to accidentally discover a pretty face was enough to sway her. He would have to study up on area protection charms and teach…

"Harry?" Severus whimpered. Harry's head. Just his head. Lying on the floor.

Severus did the only thing he could do at that moment. He fainted.

"Merlin! You killed him!" Weasley.

"Ronald, don't say that!" Granger.

"He is not dead!" Draco.

"He's so cold, he's gotta be dead!" Weasley. Again.

Severus idly catalogued the people talking around him. Now why—

"HARRY!" Severus shot up, his forehead smashing painfully into Weasley's nose as it turned out the boy had leaned in close. He ignored the pain to search for the bastard that took away the last of his family. He was going to destroy this entire castle, stone by stone until not even a single shred of magic existed.

"Hey, Sev!" Harry grinned, Severus's feet comfortably in his lap.

"Hello, Harry," Severus greeted. Now where was he? Yes, he was going to wipe out every… "Harry?"

"Yes, Sev?" Harry hummed, grabbing a pale foot and starting a gentle but firm massage.

"You're. Okay." It wasn't really a question. It was more of a truth that Severus demanded.

"Yup!" Harry did a weird sitting jig to prove just how okay he was. It was actually very reassuring. To the point that Severus allowed his body to fall completely limp.

"Sooooo yoube not cubious bout the Inbisibility Cloak?" Weasley asked around the napkin Granger pressed into his nose. Severus opened a single eye, hardly aware that he had closed either. Harry had a real masseuse touch that always lulled him into complete relaxation. It was good enough that he forgot to question why he had seen Harry's head all on its lonesome.

"Where did you...?" Severus squinted at the shimmery fabric. He's heard of the infamous Invisibility Cloak, his mother has attempted to replicate its effect but had only managed a very good camouflage. He could not see even a glimpse of an outline of his legs where the cloak covered them. It was amazing. Actual invisibility.

"It had my name on it when I went to curse Dumbledore," Harry explained with a light tone. Hmm, yes, yes. He wondered what sort of Old Magick held it toget—what?

"What?" Severus was really dropping the ball today. He reminded himself to check for any hexes or charms because he was never this slow.

"It was in a package like a Christmas gift and it said Harry J. Potter. There can't be that many Harry… you know there is Harold Jeremy," Harry frowned.

"He's a Peters," Draco corrected.

"Harriette—." Harry bit his tongue to stop himself from cackling at the look of pure irritation coming from his twin. "Okay, okay. Well, you know how Nate always had those sleepovers at the end of the year?" Severus nodded. "And you know how sometimes I liked to chat to his two familiars?" Severus stopped himself from wincing and nodded all the same. "Then there were those books that Nate's mum kept in a secret bookcase behind the real bookcase." Severus officially did not like where this was going. "Well those books had some curses that even kids could do!"

"Harry… you didn't sell your soul did you?" Severus pinched the bridge of his nose. He didn't want to think of what sort of price they'd have to pay to get it back.

"Pfft! No!" Harry waved a hand. He wasn't stupid and it was waaaayyy too hard. The magic just wasn't the same for the real powerful stuff. Not that he tried. "I found a wild… chicken… thing in the Forbidden Forest and used that as a sacrifice. It's not like I wanted to kill the old man. It's just the shadows of mischievous children or something." Here Harry sat forward and rubbed noses with him. "Just a tiny sip of fear. You know, for being a real git to my Sevvie-poo."

"Ugh, you two are gross and weird," Ron wrinkled his nose then winced at the dull throb. How could someone so small have such a hard head? He's run face first into a brick wall before and still, it didn't hurt like Severus's forehead.

"I think they're sweet. If they were sisters you wouldn't mind," Hermione mumbled from where her face was nearly pressed into the paper. It seemed as though she was trying to fit a paragraph on only what had to be smaller than a nail bit of parchment.

"They were in the womb together, of course they're close Weasel," Draco sniffed.

"Eww, don't say w… wo… I can't even repeat it," the redhead slapped a hand over his mouth.

"Can't repeat wha…? Oh, hi Severus!" It was like watching a switch with how perky the boy became. It was almost like when Harry saw him, quite unsettling indeed.

"Ahem," Draco cleared his throat, drawing the boy's attention to the other people in the room. Neville immediately turned a bright tomato red and he nearly tripped over his feet.

"Ooh! I mean! Hi everyone! What were you talking about?"

"Wombs!" Harry shouted loudly. Gag.

"Wombs." Draco repeated. Gag gag.

"Wombs?" Neville tilted his head in confusion.

"Wombs!" Granger crowed as she added the last period to her sentence. Weasley was positively green.

"Woooommmbbbbsssss," Severus drawled. He took sadistic glee seeing the boy suddenly shoot up and out the room, shouting how much he hated all of them. He even joined the laughter that filled the room.

-/+

"I suppose no other faculty wanted to miss the first quidditch match of the year?" Severus hummed as he organized the potions in his bin.

"Quite observant Mr. Potter," Madam Pomfrey answered from her spot across the room, "however I requested to have you in here. Professor Lupin mentioned your proficiency in potions."

"Did he?" That didn't sound likely but she was having him organize and put aside potions he thought expired or mishandled. That wasn't a normal detention task, at least he doubted for a first year.

"Yes, he did. I'm hoping I can convince you to start helping with brewing our common supplies then, when you are older, to be my apprentice," the woman continued in an almost hushed tone. Severus's brows jumped up his forehead. All of that from one comment from a professor who didn't very much like him?

"That's very kind but I will have to decline the apprenticeship early. The medical field sounds so very… boring," Severus found himself saying.

"Oh hoo? Do you have plans for the future?"

"I will have a mail order potions business but I decide what I want to make… except to you, of course," he answered. He thought he rather liked the old witch and her shrewd aura. She thwarted his escapes like an old master of the craft so he would gladly make her whatever potion she desired and with a discount.

"Of course," Pomfrey nodded.

"And perhaps McGonagall. She would not waste my time with beauty creams and the like."

"I'm sure she wouldn't." Pomfrey hummed

"But I wouldn't charge you two as much which will mean taking unsavory requests every now and again… I do not plan to live off any inheritance I gain."

"Severus…"

"Yes?" Why did the mediwitch suddenly sound so serious?

"Answer me this… are you? Are you happy now?"

Now? Severus paused his sorting and gazed at the old witch. Something was off about the way she waited for the answer, her eyes steady and hard and her ears visibly straining for his answer. This was more than being concerned about a random student, it was almost like she knew him. But she did not seem to hold no ill will, in fact he had strong suspicion that any answer other than positive would be met with swift and fierce action. And if he lied she would have his hide.

Luckily there was no need to lie. "I have never been happier. Really, Madam Pomfrey."

"Good…" Pomfrey nodded firmly. "Good." The comfortable silence lasted until the first goal was made and the cheers vibrated the windows. "This is Harry's first game, isn't it?" Severus tried not to feel regret about that. With all the detentions it was likely that he would not see Harry play this year. Well he could always view someone's memories and Harry would definitely give him a play by play. "A first game is really important. You'll have nothing to compare it to." He glared at the woman. "You'll miss out on a milestone for someone you love dearly." Salt in his wounds. "Hmmm, Severus would not appreciate that, not after all… okay, Mr. Potter, you are free to go."

"Thank you, ma'am," he didn't hesitate to put away his work and practically run from the hospital room.

"That boy…" Poppy smiled fondly. She was a simple mediwitch so subterfuge wasn't her strongest suit but she would try her best to not ruin this second chance for the former man. She would watch out for the boy as best she could and not let anything slip. She probably shouldn't show him too much special treatment… oh fiddle.

Well, it was too late now.

+/-

Harry was cursed.

Harry _had_ to be cursed. And not by some stupid Dark Lord who got off on killing babies. No, Harry decided that he was cursed by something much more powerful. Like Lady Luck. Yeah that woman had it out for him as sure as he was clinging to a suddenly out of control broom. Ooh and he was already _several_ hundred feet in the air. Too many to count. Or look down at.

Harry gritted his teeth as the broom gave a harsh twist, tightening his thighs around the wood. He should land. He had to land but Harry wasn't an idiot. Brooms didn't just start bucking like wild horses out of nowhere. Something—someone was sabotaging him. Someone was trying to kill him.

"Well, take a number," Harry hissed at his invisible enemy, heart pounding in his chest. He didn't know who was doing this but they had better take a seat after getting that number! Harry absolutely, positively _refused_ to die during his first quidditch match. Not the first one! The broom twisted and one of his hands slipped. Harry cursed and the broom started to rise and rise and rise. It shot up like a speeding bullet until he was sure his fingers would slip right off.

Oh.

He had broken over the clouds. For a second he was mesmerized by just how pretty it was up here. He briefly wondered if he could get Surajmukhi up here. The clouds stretched out forever, fluffy white and clean. But of course he wasn't there to take in the breathtaking sight. No, he was being attacked.

"What's wrong with Potter?" He heard someone shout from below. Someone finally noticed the trouble he was having.

"About time," Harry gritted, trying to wrestle his broom down. Down, down! He pushed at the stupid thing and beat at it until he remembered that he had magic. Severus always taught him that wands were a great channel for magic, most would be hard pressed to find something better but it wasn't the _only_ way to use his magic. Flesh was a terrible channel for magic but, luckily, the thing was already in his hands so what did it matter? He wasn't going to die. No, no, no!

Severus didn't even get to see him play.

Harry bit into his tongue, pushing back hot tears. He wasn't crying because he wasn't going to die. He was going to pour magic into this stupid stick and force it to calm down. He was going to overpower whoever was controlling his broom and take back control. Then he's going to find that stupid snitch and catch it and win his very first game and then he going to do that at the next game. And then the one after that until they win every game and then win the House Cup.

It worked. Sorta. Harry panted, sweat gathering under his forehead as he hurriedly shoved his magic into the wood. Faster and faster until it was almost back to normal. It twitched violently like it wasn't sure what it was supposed to do but that was okay, it was enough to get him to the ground. He just had to hold this level of magic.

"You can't be up this high, Harry," a voice said, no, taunted. Harry blinked rapidly. Was he going crazy or was there…? Was there a man standing on the clouds? Harry closed his eyes and shook his head. Nope! He didn't have time for that. The ground. Let's get to solid ground and try again next game. Even if the man was creepily long, covered in a dark cloak—

"Monster," Harry gasped, remembering the beast in the forbidden forest.

"I am hurt, Harry. I am no more monster than you. Actually, I've decided that I am indebted to you, young Harry Potter," the monster chuckled but it was a nasty, sickly chuckle like someone with cobwebs in their throat and dust on their tongue.

To be honest, the monster sounded like it was a few bulbs short of a chandelier. It's voice was somehow light and airy but also sharp and heavy. This thing meant him every harm. All the harm. The monster raised his head and the broom jerked harshly, his attacker probably doubling down on his mission. But Harry could double down too! The broom stopped climbing and he looked down. Now, a few feet above the monster, it had to look up at him and Harry could make out a… sorta face? It was soft and gooey, missing a nose and its teeth were yellow and pointed, gleaming in the bright, warm sun.

"Yes, yes. You have brought me something very special, Harry. Healthy. Happy. Unbroken. Do not fret, I will take care to only break the bits I don't need. He will be radiant," the monster purred. Its red eyes were almost completely covered with excess forehead flesh but still Harry could see the evil fire crackling within them. He? Who? Not… Harry glared at the monster.

"You'll never get Severus! I'll kill you!" He spat, fury so hot it made his blood boil. The monster gave him a look that could only be called bored. It even waved one of its long fingered, pale hands at him.

"Yes, yes. All you hero types say the same thing. However, you are special. Unlike them, I offer you mercy. This height will kill you instantly—you may even die before you hit the ground. Simply let go and die. I grant you this merciful death!" The monster spread its arms dramatically and the smile it gave him caused his stomach to churn violently. It looked… happy. Genuinely. Like it thought he would not only accept the deal but also be grateful and joyous to be given such a deal.

"Well boo for you! If you want me dead then you better stop being a lazy coward and kill me yourself! You stupid fucking shithead!" Harry's heart pounded in his chest. But he didn't think he was scared anymore. Fury had replaced all that fear. It was less making it to the ground and more getting his hands on this freak before it could get its claws on Severus. The monster frowned at the same time Harry was sure he heard an _explosion._

"Did you know with enough magic an object will explode?" The monster seemed to ripple before him. Harry opened his mouth but then he was falling. Bits of wood and sparkling magic surrounded his descent and the wooden handle was still in his hand. He didn't even hear it, didn't even feel it.

"Attempt to not splat too much. I would hate to see what that would do to my Severus," the monster waved. _His_ Severus? Harry clawed uselessly towards the monster. Over his dead body would that monster…

Now the tears were coming. Blown by the wind as he pummeled towards the ground. Bloody Hell, he was really going to die. Harry opened his mouth to scream and something went flying straight in. It banged into his teeth and lodged itself into his throat. Harry choked and wrapped at his neck.

This is what he meant by being cursed. It wasn't enough to fall to his death. No, no. He also had to _choke_ to death. Was it a bug? Some kind of magical creature minding its business and now lodged itself in his throat?

"Harry!" Severus? Harry tried to focus his eyes, tried to see his brother but there was no one. Ooh he was imagining things. He thought his whole life was supposed to flash behind his eyes. Maybe he was one of those people with brains that were always trying to find another way to live, another way to fight. So he summoned his twin's voice to give him ideas. Couldn't his stupid brain let him _see_ the boy instead? "Take my hand!"

Well, alright. Harry would have shrugged if he could. He reached a hand towards the voice and felt warm flesh slide into his. Jesus! If Harry wasn't already, he would've choked. His body was jerked to a stop and he could only grunt as his arm was jerked out the socket.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Severus muttered, invisible. It's okay, Harry wanted to say. He wanted to cry and smile and hug his twin until… until… maybe just forever. Yeah, that was a good length of time. His feet hit the ground and then his arms were positioned in his middle and it almost looked like he was giving himself the Heimlich. The next few things happened in such rapid succession that he couldn't quite figure out… what happened.

The thing dislodged from his throat and popped into his hand.

The thing happened to be the golden snitch.

"In all the confusion, Potter has the snitch! Game over! Gryffindor wins!"

Then he was being descended upon by _way_ too many people and hands. He was being lifted into the air by those hands and there were cheers and cries of his name.

It was all very nice, almost nice enough to forget he almost died, but it was the lack of Severus that really caught his attention. That and… he wasn't sure but was the pile of sticks supposed to be where the teachers had been sitting? He was confused, tired and his throat hurt.

"Harry, mate! Are you?" Oh, Ron was there.

"No worries, no worries," Harry was slurring.

"Put him down, you idiots! Don't you…" Hermione. It was good she was here. She had a level head and she was super smart. He needed to convince her to join him on an adventure.

"Mr. Potter? Can you hear me?" Harry blinked into harsh light. It burned and caused a headache to flare. He couldn't even see who was trying to blind him.

"Ye…" then he promptly threw up. While it was embarrassing and painful, he decided he felt much better. So much better that he slowly lowered himself to the ground (away from his sick, obviously) and curled into a loose ball and closed his eyes. This would be a great time for a nap.

"He's fine! He is fine! Just magical exhaustion. Mr. Oliver, take…"

Darkness.

TBC!

So whatcha think? I almost thought I would forget to get a move on again. But I didn't. We got quidditch! We got the invisibility cloak! Sorry it took so long. My brain couldn't force the words out! It was terrible.


	15. Nope

let's rock this boat!

-/+

Harry was not dead. Nope. He refused to be. He was sitting on a train platform, a regular one with regular fog. Not a death platform with death fog. He relaxed on the bench and let his head land on the back rest, staring up at the clock sign. The numbers on it wouldn't allow him to focus but he was on platform 24. Harry scoffed. Now he definitely wasn't dead. What kind of number was 24? A stupid one with no meaning. That he knew of. Harry frowned. Was there magic in 24?

"Feeeedddd meeeee."

Harry sighed. Of course there was a creepy voice. Of course it wanted to be fed. It sounded like it was under the bench next to his. It also sounded small, dry and broken. Harry could almost imagine what the thing looked like, could imagine it a sickly white or ugly gray. Maybe its bones would be plainly seen or gnarled and twisted. It would be bald or perhaps the hair would be slowly falling from its bleeding disgusting scalp. It was so hungry and it wanted Harry. Well, nope! Because Harry wasn't dead so he had nothing to feed the thing. It could keep its ugly self right under there!

"Yeah, it's best to ignore that thing." Harry lifted his head and slowly opened one eye to see who spoke.

"Nope!" Harry shouted, screwing his eyes shut. No, he took it back. He didn't see anything.

"Harry, look at me."

"I said nope!" Harry slapped his hands over his ears.

"C'mon Harry. Don't treat your—."

"I can't hear you over all this nope!" Harry shouted. Hands, big and warm landed on his own and slowly eased them away from his ears. The boy's bottom lip trembled and he sniffled, opening his eyes. He looked into chocolate, gooey brown eyes.

"Hey there, kiddo," James Potter smiled down at him. It was like someone turned a faucet on, tears streaming down his face in rivers. He jumped onto the man, listening to the air leave his lungs and the small grunt he let out when they fell to the ground. He ignored the lack of pain and scrambled to sit on the man's chest, his legs pinning the man's arms down. Then he started to push and pinch his face, opening his mouth and looking into his ears. He wanted to remember every bit of him. Brown eyes blinked curiously up at him, squinting when his spectacles are shoved up. "Uh… is this how kids say hello now?"

"Howdy," Harry muttered, eyes intent. "I don't have a lot of time. I'm not dead so I have to remember your face before I get out of here. Pictures aren't as good as seeing you. I'm going to make a family portrait. It's going to make Sev's jaw drop. Maybe I can get it done before Christmas. Is Mom here?" Harry lifted his head, whipping it back and forth to spot the fiery red hair so much like his brother's.

"No, only one of us could come. She… she kinda insisted," James chuckled. Harry slowed in his exploration and really looked at the man. His father. Everyone said he looked just like him and he had those pictures but… Severus was missing this. In a good way, though. He didn't want Severus at this platform even if his other ma and pa were here.

"Did it hurt?" Harry whispered, too scared to say it louder as though it would bring them harm.

"No. And even if it did, I'd do it a thousand times over," James grinned, puffing his chest as much as he could with a rather heavy eleven year old on his chest. A frown tugged at his lips. "Who is Sev? I thought Petunia named her son something uglier?"

"Severus would kill me if I painted him in with Dudley," Harry laughed, climbing off the man. He sat on the ground, back to the benches where he could still hear the ugly thing begging for food. "You know Severus, my twin? Your other son?"

"Ugh, I hated that name," James groaned, pushing up his round glasses to pinch his nose. He glared at his son when the boy giggled then he grumbled, "I say your mother insists on things but really she demands." Harry's giggles turned into outright laughs, his imagination obviously running wild with how his mother basically strong armed her husband to name their other child after her best friend. He wondered if he should tell Harry to imagine a scenario ten times worse. They nearly tore down the house over that decision. "It broke her heart when he was stillborn. I felt so guilty, like my hatred of that greasy git killed my son." Harry's laughter stopped and James cursed. "I'm sorry, kid. I didn't mean to say that. Well, I did. I just… who is the Severus you're talking about?"

"I told you, my twin brother. He lived!"

"No, I was there in the room when you two were born. You screamed so loud, I thought you were going to break my glasses," James smiled softly, reaching out and cupping one of his son's cheeks. He relished the feeling of warmth. He wished he could have convinced Lily, wished they both could have come, wished that that stubborn harpy would just listen to him every once in a while. Now she was missing the sight of their son. He was so big, just a tiny, tiny bit shorter than when James was this age. He looked healthy enough, skin and eyes and hair all glowing and shining with good health. Petunia was doing a better job than he thought she would.

"Well, Severus is alive too. Maybe… I don't know, maybe the mediwitch lied?" Harry tried to guess. He wasn't a detective and, frankly, he really, really didn't care. It was a cool mystery but it sounded like one he could wait until he was ninety to investigate.

"Excuse—? Wait… what does he look like?" James cursed his curiosity, cursed the flutter in his chest. He was dead and without true cause in his heart to be a ghost. He loved Harry, he really did but there were people there to take care of him, precautions in place. So he couldn't come back but he could take this back to Lily… no, he definitely wouldn't tell her such information without really knowing what was going on. He cursed being dead again.

"He looks like mum but with your eyes! He's so cool too! He knows so much magic already and he's smart and he's brave and he—!" A hand landed on his mouth. James chuckled. How was Harry so different and yet still the same? He remembered when he presented Harry with his first broom. So excited, jumping all around. Sparkling green eyes.

"You really love this kid, huh?"

"Best. Brother. Ever." Harry confirmed. "You'd love him too." James nodded, even with the name he knew that any kid of his would be amazing. He knew it as soon as he looked at this one. Who was disappearing.

"Shite! Damn death-addled brain," James cursed. "I was supposed to tell you something but Death doesn't like when we interfere. What was it?" He racked his brain. Harry was disappearing and he had to tell him something. Something important. Don't. Don't. He reached for his son. Don't trust.

+/-

"DON'T TRUST THE RAT!" Harry bellowed in a voice decidedly not his own, shooting up in his bed, hand reaching out. He panted, looking around the room. He was in the, thankfully empty, medical wing.

"What rat?"

"Gah!" Harry jerked and fell out of the bed. Not empty. The hospital wing was not empty! He jumped to his feet and was met with Severus pulling the Invisibility Cloak off. Red hair was tossed all around his head and his eyes looked too sharp with heavy bags. Harry frowned. "How long was I out? Did you sit here the whole time? You stink! Come on!" Harry ushered the boy to his feet. Severus made to open his mouth, perhaps to protest but Harry shook his head hard and gave the boy a smile. They had to get out of here first.

He snatched up his belongings and looked carefully around. The mediwitch was nowhere to be seen and only he and Severus were in the giant room. Good. It made their escape easier as he practically ran from the hospital wing and pounded down the halls. "Down this way. Then here annndddd! Prefect bathroom!" Harry pulled them to a stop in front of the large door.

"And how do you suppose we get in there?" Severus cocked a brow. While he had no qualms of melting the door (it would be just as obvious as any other spell) he didn't think Harry would want to get in trouble so soon. The boy shuffled around his bag, brows drawn in concentration and a fine sheen of sweat beginning to appear. Before Severus could show any concern Harry let out a victory crow and produced a key. A key only a prefect should have and Harry was definitely not a prefect.

"You have your hobbies and I have miiinnneee," Harry sang at the boy's raised eyebrow. It wasn't really impressive as he explained to his brother. He first cut a tiny hole in Karen Higgleton's robe when she sat it down to enjoy the breeze. He then stole the key, made a muggle mold of it (because a key is a key, right?) and then later placed it along the path. He waited around behind a curtain until a brown haired Slytherin happened to pass by. Now that part wasn't the plan but the green tied boy had only made fun of the prefect for a couple seconds before willingly relinquishing her key with a promise for a small favor.

"Very sunny," Severus noted, taking in the room. It was a handsome room with earthy furniture, yellow trims and huge, stretching windows that were enchanted to always let in sun. "How did you know that the key wasn't enchanted?"

"Huh?" Harry was fiddling with the knobs of the absolutely massive tub, trying to remember his favorite combination.

"What if the key needed magic to operate the door? You made a muggle key out of a magical one. It would have melted in the door. Oh and where did you learn to make keys?" Severus was slightly embarrassed he never thought to teach key making to Harry. It was a useful skill as the boy obviously figured out.

"You have soooo many books and you can do like everything in all of them," Harry half whined. Of course he wasn't jealous or angry at his brother, after all nothing said he had to catch up to him and it wasn't like he was ever going to showcase anything… but he didn't want to be a burden either. And it was even more than that. He wanted to be better than not a burden. No matter what Severus said, Harry wanted to protect Severus like Severus protected him. So if he had to read those stupid books and learn these stupid skills and these stupid spells, rituals, hexes then dammit! He was going to learn as much as his brain could take.

He glanced at his brother and remembered that monster. No, now he'd have to learn twice as much as his brain could take. He would turn his brain into almost goo if that's what it took.

"Okay! All ready go get in!" Harry announced. Severus got in readily enough. Harry was exaggerating that he stank to get him into a more private setting but he had been without a shower since Harry's been out.

Severus held out a fist. Harry copied. One, two, three. Paper, scissors. Harry won so he decided he wanted to hear Severus's story first. The red head grumbled under his breath. He didn't really want to relive yesterday but, it was best to get it off his chest now.

-/+

The game had started out fine, Severus had found a space next to Draco, Pansy and Hermione.

"Hermione was sitting with Slytherins?" Harry tilted his head. It was a game of Gryffindor and Ravenclaw so the Slytherins had no reason to be there.

"I believe she and Pansy are friends," Severus shrugged. He wasn't quite sure when that happened but it did.

So the game had started out fine. Severus had a spot and Gryffindor had scored the first point. It was good. Of course Severus had no care for any other player or actually care about the actual game so his eyes were completely on Harry. Locked on really. Which is why when Harry's broom began to buck his eyes shot to his surroundings. He scoured the crowds for someone concentrating on Harry. An adult was most likely. Two suspects immediately jumped out to Severus.

"Who?" Harry murmured, his heart clenching at the thought that any of his teachers wanted to hurt him. He trusted all of them.

"The Potion professors," Severus spat, his face twisting in hot anger. He wanted nothing more than to snatch their throats out and watch them bleed out like the pigs they were. "I think one or both of them are Death Eaters. I knew there was something odd about those two. Especially that rat of a man."

"Huh? What did you say?" Harry sat up straighter.

"Death Eaters are followers—."

"No, I know what they are. What did you say about the rat?"

"Pettigrew reminds me of a rat. His features, his personality… if I didn't know better I would think he could turn into one of those filthy creatures," Severus tried his best to not vibrate with anger but it was that or boil them alive.

"Dad said don't trust the rat." Harry gnawed thoughtfully at his bottom lip.

"Our birth father?" Severus frowned. Harry nodded but didn't elaborate. Severus wasn't done with his tale. The younger twin grumbled again and continued on. Hermione, not being dense, noticed as well. They immediately started to think of a plan. Their spells wouldn't reach Harry, especially not when he suddenly shut much too high. Hermione couldn't transfer power to him to, not only reach Harry but then to overpower an adult that strong. Severus would have to fly to him. Ronald had the invisibility cloak.

"How did Hermione know that?" Harry tilted his head. Harry had decided that his cloak should always be ready and on hand, it made small mischief so much easier. If only he found it before he did all that hard work for this bathroom key. He should get a key to all of them, compare and then choose the best one. Never mind that, he didn't recall telling Hermione who had his cloak. He still hasn't figured out how to approach the girl about the adventure.

"Do you think I had time to ask her that?" Severus glared. Harry held his hands up in surrender. So Severus found the carrot head and nearly dislocated his shoulder snatching the boy's bag away. While he got prepared, he instructed Hermione to devise a plan to bring down the teacher's tower. Was his plan overdramatized? Yes. Could he have instructed them to set a small fire or something equally distracting but less destructive? Yes.

"In your defense, did Hermione have to set off a bomb?" The Gryffindor snickered. Severus blinked.

"Bomb? No, those were termites." Harry gaped. The tower was practically nothing! What sort of crazy termite spell was that and it hadn't even spread!

Severus knew not the answer. He suspected that the girl enlisted help, it was what he would have done. Whatever she did was effective and resulted in minor scrapes and bruises for the professors. While that happened, Severus shot into the sky as fast as he could. He just broke the clouds in enough time to see Harry's broom burst into a million pieces and then the book was falling. Severus had panicked at first, had almost worried that he wouldn't make it in time but his necklace wasn't hot anymore. Harry wasn't in danger with him there. It wasn't even a race but still his heart didn't leave his throat until he got that snitch from his brother's throat and scrambled backwards as his teammates came to rush him. He stayed in the air, just slightly so as to not make an indent and followed silently behind Harry and the team captain.

"Like a ghost," Harry giggled.

"Shut up," Severus childishly stuck out his tongue. "Well, that's my end. I stayed under the cloak, off the floor until you awakened. Now tell me yours."

"No, no, no. You gotta tell me what else you've been up to. Anything outside this..." Harry waved his hand in a vague, broad motion. Being separated from his twin was still really hard, he thought he'd never get over it; Severus sometimes slept in his dorms or would randomly find him wherever he was just to sit near him. So it helped but he noticed when his twin wasn't there too. Especially in class. He only showed to turn in homework and take various tests and quizzes, failing any pop quiz.

"I started the potion for immortality. It curdled, unfortunately," Severus swallowed past the thick ball of disappointment. He never had a potion curdle but he also assured himself that it was an incredibly difficult potion. He'd gotten twice the fresh ingredients and started over, moving all other potions to the sinks. In one potion he shaved the rock into it and the other he allowed the rock to soak into it. It was the only part of the potion that was unsure, the page incomplete. He belatedly cursed his arrogance. "I've also started research into a replacement for me."

"For all the classes you miss?" Harry asked.

"Precisely. I… cannot help but spend my every waking moment gobbling every bit of information I can find. I should have better self control," Severus sighed. He just really couldn't help himself. Once he found a thread he became insatiable, unable to stop until it was completely unraveled. And there were so. Many. Threads.

"Could pull your mirror image," Harry suggested.

"Voodoo should be respected and _feared,_ Harry. Cease at once even thinking about the craft. It's not our magic," Severus warned. He eyed his brother. "Do you remember that time we went to the ice cream shop during our very first shopping trip and I got that Rockin Rollin Road?"

"You mean Strawberry Shortcake Sunrise Surprise?" Harry pouted. Fine, he'd stop playing around with voodoo, not that he actually used the knowledge. It was just an interesting read! Those books were literally designed to lure people closer so it really wasn't his fault.

"It's your turn. That's all my news." Severus relaxed into the tub. He didn't mention all his failed attempts to find even the smallest morsel about his ma. It was insane of him to even try, after all he had not even a single clue to start out with. No, he knew his ma went to Hogwarts.

Harry dipped under the water first, staying under until he steadied his heart then he surfaced. He told Severus exactly what had gone on up there. How his broom had first lost control, how he saw the monster from the forbidden forest—.

"I knew it was those incompetent idiots!" Severus growled. He was going to stick his foot down their gullets until he stomped their hearts. At Harry's confused look he decided to clarify. "One took control of your broom while the other cast the illusion. I did not see it so either you share a mind link of some sort or, more likely, it was a targeted illusion spell."

Harry forced himself to tell the complete story, every word he could remember the monster saying and his exact replies. He was actually proud of his reaction, glad that his immediate reflex was to protect his twin.

"He was speaking Parseltongue!" Harry realized abruptly. He sometimes had a hard time distinguishing one from the other, the translation was so smooth, but when he concentrated he realized the words that left his own lips had been hissed.

"You, I understand," Severus murmured almost to himself, "I suspect that this monster is actually Voldemort himself so kill you to prevent the prophecy. What does that have to do with me?"

"Thanks, Sev. Just pop an apple in my mouth before you serve me up," Harry said dryly. Severus looked at him sharply.

"You know I would never. I don't know how Voldemort is back, why he looks how you described but I do know he will _not_ kill you," Severus promised viciously, eyes blazing hotter than any simple fire could. It was like the sun. Harry swallowed hard and nodded. Severus was always intense, would probably never stop being intense but it was what caused Harry to believe so wholeheartedly in his twin. He never doubted, for even a second, that he was safe with the boy around.

He then described his struggle to pour his magic into the broom before the thing exploded right in his hands.

"There was too much magic coming at the broom," Severus commented.

"Yeah, me and whoever was jinxing it. Voldemort told me right before it happened," Harry rolled his eyes. That crazy monster. He was going to melt the rest of his face off just for implying he'd hurt Severus. The rest of that was history but there was the after. The 24th platform.

"No, I don't know any magical significance to that number," Severus shook his head. He made a mental note to see if there was but he found himself more interested in the ugly thing under the bench. "If it's your in between, what was the thing under the bench?"

"Huh?" Harry tilted his head.

"The place you were at was an in between life and death. I don't know why you were there—you were not on the brink of death though you used entirely too much magic. But you were there. So my question is what was the thing under the bench? It was there, besides you right? Just under the bench?"

Harry nodded and repressed his shudder. That thing had put images in his head of its hideousness so vivid they were practically burned to his eyelids. Perhaps he should have looked at it to confirm but he waved that thought away. What would seeing the ugly have done for him? He continued on, explaining their father appearing and his automatic denial. Severus laughed heartily at that, his laughter growing when Harry described how he practically assaulted the man. He did keep his portrait idea to himself but commented that he wished he could have seen their mother too or that Severus could have been there.

"It's okay, he wouldn't have known me anyhow," Severus waved him off.

"Yeah, he didn't but he realizes that he would've loved to meet you. And he wanted mum to come instead but she sent him. And he told me that Death doesn't like it when the dead interfere with the living but he managed to get one message to me."

"Don't trust the rat," they said simultaneously. Logically there wasn't anything they could do at the moment. They needed proof, concrete proof. They would have to investigate and expose the two professors because there was no doubt in his mind that Lupin and Pettigrew were in it together. They were too close for it to be any other way.

"I'm trying to find the mystery item without you," Harry blurted then let out the breath he had somehow been holding since he came up with the plan. He hated keeping secrets from the boy. Severus raised a curious brow. "You started keeping secrets again so I wanted to have a secret too but recruiting Hermione is harder than I thought and keeping secrets from you sucks."

"Since when have we become the same person?" Severus tilted his head. "Even though we are twins we don't even look the same so why are you trying to behave like me?"

"I mean… I kinda just like the thought of solving the mystery and the sort of adventure and no one else… you know," Harry deflated a bit. He wasn't trying to copy Severus, at least he didn't think he was. He opened his mouth to apologize and drop the whole thing but was stopped with a held up hand.

"No, no. I mean when you say you want to 'recruit' Hermione. You don't recruit friends, Harry. You just… do that thing you do. Like with our muggle friends," Severus waved vaguely, after all he didn't know how to make friends without manipulating them. That was Harry's thing. Being nice and attracting people like bugs to a lamp.

The Gryffindor nearly slapped himself in the forehead. Of course that was his problem! He was looking at the girl like a target for him to capture and not like a friend he wanted to have fun with. And he did want her as a friend, a real friend like so many he had already made.

"You don't mind that I'm…?" Harry trailed off.

"Be extremely careful or I will raise you from the dead so that I can kill you myself," Severus said simply.

"I'm going to live forever," Harry promised, looking straight in his twin's eyes. He attempted to say it with every ounce of confidence he's ever possessed.

"Let's try this on a century basis," Severus joked lightly, pulling himself from the pool. By now they were beyond squeaky clean and their skin was all pruned.

"So, what's our next move with the professors?" Harry asked as he stepped into the nightwear provided. He set about drying his hair with his wand, doing the same for Severus though he had to use a brush as the boy had much longer hair.

"I'll start my snooping with Lupin. I want us to tackle Pettigrew together, there is something about that man that makes my skin crawl. While I gather information on that walking sweater, you work on your own adventure."

"Won't it be hilarious if our missions linked up and it became one big adventure?" The green eyed boy laughed. Severus snorted and shook his head.

In the quite near future Harry would look back at this memory, think of those words he said and wonder if maybe, just maybe he taunts Lady Luck and that is why she hated him so.

TBC

Oops, I made another chapter. My bad you guys!

Lolololol I kid. Thank you for reading, I hope to moisturize my eyes with your comments annnd see y'all soon.

I can't wait to see what happens next.

PS I'm thinking some secrets are really plotting plots so they won't be revealed until the time is right. Ssshhhh


	16. Hungry like a Wolf

Hiya peeps!

I know! What's going on? Three chapters just back to back like that?

-/+

"Do you smell that, Boris?" A Ravenclaw boy who looked much too old to be bullying a first year curled up his nose. He was standing like a proud rooster, chest pumped out and chin tilted up. Thin blond hair was slicked back in a style reminiscent of Malfoy but even that ferret didn't look this sleazy. Like a used car salesman. Perhaps it was because the girl was sitting on the cold grass that made it look like he was a literal giant above her.

"Smell what? The poor or crippling loneliness?" Boris, Harry guessed, cackled. Surprisingly he was a Hufflepuff. Perhaps this whole House thing was deceiving. Then again, Harry was supposed to be a Hufflepuff. He gagged at the thought of sharing a House with either of these boys. Or the small crowd that had gathered. Maybe ten in total, a mixture of Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff with one Gryffindor.

No one even noticed his oncoming approach, too engrossed in causing _misery._

"I thought it smelled more like buck tooth piggy," the Ravenclaw spat the insult so nastily that Harry wrinkled his nose. Who said those kinds of things to another person much less a little girl! And who stood there just to laugh at it? Has it been like this since day one? Well that ended today! Permanently.

Harry balled his hands into fists and his steps became hard stomps as he came closer and closer to the trio. Hermione had yet to stand, in fact it looked as though she had curled into her book as though getting closer might stop the taunts from coming. But she didn't have to worry about that anymore because Harry was there.

"Hello!" Harry waved, his teeth showing but he wasn't smiling. All the laughter stopped abruptly.

"What's the Chosen One doing here?" The Ravenclaw sneered, his eyes going behind and then around Harry. Harry's smile turned a bit more real, the bully was looking for and actively scared of Severus. See, Harry was actively working against most rumors and stories surrounding his twin but sometimes even Harry couldn't spin things. After all, Severus got into a secret duel with a seventh year and turned his hand into butterflies. How was Harry supposed to spin that? Just the horror of one's hand… Harry shuddered.

"You have a bald spot at sixteen!" Harry blurted and pointed at the Ravenclaw. The boy choked on his spit, face suddenly red and hand shooting to his head. Harry swallowed the nerves that suddenly appeared and, instead, nodded to his own words.

"Yeah, you should just shave it because that slick back isn't doing you any favors. You look like a rejected Malfoy clone. Like the kind of creature you hide in the attic and only let out so it can have some moonlight. I'm surprised they let their hunchback out. I'm more surprised they didn't teach you better manners or how to treat girls. Reject-Malfoy." An idea suddenly came to mind and he tilted his head up to really sneer down at the taller boy. "Do you have a crush on her?"

"What!?" The Ravenclaw squawked, arms flailing like a flightless bird. Oh a chicken, yes that would perfectly describe this coward. Harry pretended to nod thoughtfully and he took a glance at Hermione. Her brown cheeks were slightly red but her silent tears had dried and her eyes were sharp and stared at him with slight suspicion. He gave her a wink and turned his attention back to her (former) tormentors.

"I mean, she is really pretty. She has all that gorgeous hair, I bet you she spends hours just moisturizing it. Her kids will have pretty hair. Is that what you're after, kids with hair prettier than yours?" Harry frowned and made shooing motions like one would do with an under fed mongrel begging for food (in real life Harry knew he'd just feed the mongrel). "Well, you get out of here. She's too young for you and, frankly, too smart. She knows who is the ten and who is the two."

The Ravenclaw seemed to have broken, his mouth hanging open and his face an ugly, violent red. Good, Harry was done destroying him so he focused on the Hufflepuff.

"And Boris was it?" Harry hummed, putting on his best unsure voice. The boy sputtered, obviously trying to say something but unable to find anything. Harry turned to Hermione. "He forgot his name."

"It's Boris," Hermione confirmed. Harry pretended to wince and shook his head in pity.

"A name as ugly as his face. Did you fall out of the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down?" Harry wrinkled his nose. "If your face was a smell it'd be garbage. I bet the doctor slapped every person in the room when you were born. You're so ugly you make onions cry. How did it feel to crawl from Hell? I can't imagine even the devil wanting to see that mug. You're so ugly—." Harry cut himself off and looked at the girl. "I'm sorry, did you want to do one? I have like another ten and I'm sure I can squeeze five after that."

"He's also an idiot," Hermione offered almost shyly. She seemed almost stunned now like she just hadn't seen this coming and, really, this wasn't Harry's plan at first. After Severus brought it to his attention, Harry had opened his eyes and saw that Hermione really had no one. She sat alone at meals (sometimes trying to ingrate herself only to fail miserably), she read quietly in the library in her free time and she always lingered after class, probably wanting to avoid the worse of her taunters. Recently the girl had glued herself to Pansy's side but they were in different Houses and something weird was going on to make their friendship secret-ish.

Through all this Harry knew that Hermione Granger was a highly skilled witch. If she wanted to, Hermione could hex all her bullies to London and back. Harry was very sure of it. So the only reason she didn't was because she didn't want to, probably had qualms of using violence. She was a brave, chivalrous hero to not unleash her knowledge. He shivered at the thought, sure that it would be like having two Severuses. But it was this knowledge that stopped him from hexing anyone. His original plan was to wait for her to be alone and then just befriend her but noooo these guys had to be major jerks.

"Oh, I knew it!" Harry planted himself between the girl and two boys. "You both fancy her! You want her for her beauty and you want her for her brains. Well she can do better than baldie and ugly. You cradle robbers. Get back before you infect her. You both stink. You smell like desperation and lost hopes. Like failed studies. Like lack of employment. You both look like common colds. Didn't you hear me?" Harry put his hands on his hips and gave them a one eyed glare. "I said get and take your band of hyenas. Seriously, this has to be illegal, you guys. All this ugly gathered in one spot. You couldn't have one okay face in your group? I feel sorry for the next generation."

For a second they seemed to hesitate, all eyes going to the balding boss Ravenclaw. If Harry didn't know better, he was sure the boy's face was going to explode. Then there was a small sorta noise, a chittering that's had Harry dragging his eyes off his targets and the source of the noise. It was Hermione. Her shoulders shook with poorly suppressed giggles and soon turned to outright laughs.

"I was thinking…" Hermione climbed to her feet, almost gasping for breath through her laughter. "I was thinking that they looked closer to newborn guppies."

"I called them hyenas because of the laughter _and_ the ugliness," Harry rubbed at the back of his head.

"A double insult? Impressive," Hermione smiled. Harry smiled back and grabbed her hand into his, his other snatching up her bag while she grabbed her book.

"It looks like being ugly and stupid makes people deaf too," Harry cast a pitying look at the upperclassmen as though he actually felt sorry for them. Yeah, that boy was practically bursting, it was probably best to not get in a duel with so many people against just the two of them. If they really wanted to fight, he was sure he could at least block and take out one or two before they drew attention. "Let's go where the view isn't so harsh."

"Poor things," Hermione nodded, her giggles still slipping despite her serious expression. They turned to leave and they even made it a few steps. But Harry knew it wouldn't be that easy.

"I'll teach that muggleborn."

Upon hearing that Harry could have grabbed his wand or pushed Hermione without also getting in the way or just let her get hit (it was unlikely that anyone would use deadly spells) but Harry didn't do any of those things. No, his body being faster than his brain, decided to throw itself in front of the girl, taking the spell to his back.

Harry blinked. He didn't feel any pain and he didn't think his body was doing anything he didn't want it to do. He straightened carefully and blinked at all the silk siding down his face and onto the ground. Harry reached up and gave a light, experimental pull. And out came a giant chunk of hair. Oooh he hit him with a balding spell. It was a fast working one, his hair falling out like a blown on dandelion. Harry frowned. What kind of guy tried to hit a girl with a spell like this?

"Shit, shit!" The Ravenclaw cursed and there were audible gasps followed by a group of feet beating a hasty retreat. Harry idly rubbed at his hand, shaking more and more hair out until he felt the first bald spot. Then he grinned at Hermione, ignoring her look of horror and guilt. He chose to stand in the way so he chose the consequences.

"Tell me a really sad story on our way back to the castle. I'm going to convince Severus that they made me cry by doing this," Harry thought better of getting the girl to punch or otherwise bruise him. He didn't want to get the bully murdered after all.

"Wait!" The boy practically threw himself to their feet. All his friends except Boris had run off although if Harry seriously wanted to sic his brother on them, leaving now was much too late. Harry always remembered faces.

"Wait for what? My hair is falling out. I'm going to be ugly like you," Harry folded his arms over his chest. He felt zero pity for the fear in the boy's eyes. Okay, maybe not zero. No one wanted to be attacked even if they did something deserving of it and it didn't help that Severus was especially vicious and much younger than this boy. The embarrassment would probably be worse than the pain.

"I'll apologize in front of everyone and I'll do your homework," the boy pleaded.

"Her homework? She's smarter than you, why would she need that?" Harry asked, genuinely confused. The boy paled then flushed all at once before muttering something. Harry leaned closer to hear him then abruptly straightened as he heard the words. The boy meant the homework that he had destroyed, homework that Hermione had put hard work into. Seriously? Wizards were just as childish as muggles. He turned to his new friend. "What do you think?"

"Insufficient," she determined immediately. The boy flinched. "He should also tutor in his best subject for the rest of the year in any free time he has. He should be able to handle it, he is a Ravenclaw."

"Okay, what about the uglier one? I can use the tears for him instead," Harry wiped his brow off quite by accident. Boris flinched, not expecting any attention to fall on him. The most cowardly ones never did.

"Pansy could use a personal slave for a week," Hermione shrugged, unable to think of anything else. It was actually kind of funny that the girl had mentioned that to her just a few days ago.

"We'll make it two weeks. Don't forget fellas, there are eyes all over this place. Wouldn't want to slack, now would we?"

-/+

Remus didn't want to say he was being watched, he truly trusted every student and faculty member with his well-being. He truly did but there was the thing with the stands just a couple days ago and then there was this itch at the back of his head, side of his face that irritated his wolf. Moony knew they were being observed and wanted Remus to tear apart the vicinity until he found the culprit and slurped their bone marrow. Remus shuddered at the blood thirsty thoughts. It was too close to the next full moon. Who was Remus kidding? Every day felt too close to the next full moon.

He took a deep breath, telling himself he was just trying to calm his nerves and not scent the air for his stalker. It was useless anyway, he was standing right outside the Great Hall so his nose was clogged with the smell of food. Remus froze as a horrible thought went through him. Was his stalker the same person who tried to hurt Harry? Were they targeting Order members? A growl burst out of him at that and a gasp had him whirling around, crouched low and teeth pulled back.

"Eep!" The Slytherin girl let out what she would consider an undignified yelp and fell backwards.

"I'm so, so, so sorry Miss Parkinson!" Remus rushed to help the girl, all thoughts of abandoning Slytherins to themselves flying from his head at seeing the girl sprawled. And the bruises. They were fresh and forming, not even hours old. He could only imagine who did that to her, could only imagine who she would or could confide in. Hopefully it was someone from her House, they could solve it quickly in-House.

"You very well _should_ be. First, you stand here, blocking my way and then you _attack_ me? Just wait until my father hears of this!" The pug nosed girl covered herself and jumped to her feet, blatantly ignoring his hand. She flipped her hair as though it were much longer then stomped around him, hissing about the effort. Remus wasn't sure if he wanted to laugh or cry. They already lost one generation to the Dark, why did they have to lose this one too? They were just kids after all, kids who didn't know any better than their parents told them and by the time they would realize the truth it's too late. Not every child was like Sirius—

Yeah, no. Remus was definitely not going down that road. The betrayal was still too great, still too soon. He didn't think he would ever get over that, at least without a head witch around. He wondered just how powerful those confidentiality pacts were. He had a vague idea that they didn't break under veritaserum but would the people who caught her know? Or would they just think she was a loyal Order member, prepared to die to protect their secrets.

"So are we to starve simply because of a shabbily dressed walking sweater turned statue?" Remus froze. Slowly, he looked over his shoulder at Pansy Parkinson. A few steps behind her was a skinny Hufflepuff with his hands absolutely laden with books. Boris Inkling if Remus's memory served him correctly. But in front of him stood the same girl who just went into the Great Hall. His _stalker_!

Remus burst through the heavy doors.

There the girl was, making her way to the Gryffindor table—making her way to Harry!

Remus wasn't sure how long he blinked, he was sure he was just doing a standard blink, but when he opened his eyes he was on the floor. One of his hands were tangled in silky soft, slightly greasy hair. His other hand dug his wand into a soft, squishy neck and he was growling in the soaked face of one Millicent Bulstrode. Tears and snot poured down her chubby face, her cheeks and nose red. Her body trembled under his grasp but she remained carefully still besides that, arms and legs practically trying to press through the floor.

"Get _off_ of her!" Remus was going to, he swore once he realized he was atop a crying student and not a murderous stalker, he was going to get up. However, he didn't realize just how much he'd tangled her hair around his hand and he yanked. This caused the girl to let out a cry and then pain, not for her though. No, her savior made sure of that. They slammed something metal and circular directly into his face. And then atop his head. And anywhere it could reach. Then another weapon was smashed atop his head, he was sure that this one (he was sure) was a goblet. Then, another, smaller circle smashed and shattered across the back of his head. Was he being beat with plates!?

"Lemme go!" Millicent shrieked, her voice and courage returning as she saw she hadn't been abandoned. She started to struggle underneath him, kicking and punching anything she could reach. Which was basically everything. A well placed groin shot had him collapsing on the girl which… it just didn't make things better. If he could Remus would have started to cry. Millicent let out a shriek that was similar to a banshee and the attacks renewed with extra vigor. Still, Remus noted numbly, this wasn't nearly as bad as what happened to Peter.

"That is _enough_! What do you all think you're doing to a professor!" Oh sweet Merlin, thank muggle God it was Minerva. The attacks ceased and Remus immediately freed his hand from the girl and then scrambled towards his savior with as much grace as he could. It wasn't very graceful. In fact, he felt more like a dog who bit someone and was now hiding behind his master to avoid the dog catcher.

" _He_ attacked _her!_ " Little Daphne panted heavily. From what he understood, she was a delicate little thing exempt from most physical activities. And now he could see why. Her pale cheeks were red with exertion and sweat was already pouring down her forehead. She had a slight tremor, her little hand still having a firm grasp on her goblet weapon, and was being directed to sit at the closest table. But her fiery pale eyes never left him as though she thought he'd attack again. And he was sure she'd be there to smack him with that dish no matter how hard she was breathing.

"Did you not see him? He was like a beast," Blaise wrinkled his nose and leveled him with a suspicious glare, broken shards of his plate still in his grasp. The Italian boy's gaze made him shiver. It had the same spark of madness he saw in Bellatrix when they were young, still saw as she was just as mad as an adult.

"Yeah…" Neville let out an embarrassed cough, subtly sliding his plate to the floor. Remus's eyebrows flew to his hairline. What was the normally shy and _definitely not_ violent Gryffindor doing there? "I… am so sorry professor. I don't know how… I sorta saw Sev and…" here Neville lost his words and just shrugged lamely. He glanced at the aforementioned boy. The redhead seemed the calmest, not having broken a sweat in the attack and definitely without guilt or fear. He was also the first one to hit him, serving plate still greasy with chicken in his grasp.

"You saw," Severus said simply. Minerva worked her mouth silently, words attempting and failing to leave her. Remus resisted the urge to pinch his nose. There wasn't anything to be said in his defense, he was a grown man who attacked a little girl. It wasn't even one of the older students! Just a little first year who was doing nothing but walking.

"Fifty points to each of you," Remus finally said, placing a hand on his fellow teacher's shoulder. He looked around the Great Hall, taking in each student. Of course he had all of their full attention, there was nothing but attention from the moment he attacked the girl. "This is not to say you were right in violence but you all showed remarkable and fierce loyalty and bravery. An extra ten for not using magic." He shuddered at the spells that one particular redhead could have unleashed. "For you, Millicent, I'll give you one hundred points." Noises of outrage from the other Houses sounded but he ignored them. "I scared you in such a horrible way but your survival skills were quite impressive even before your friends arrived. I am truly sorry."

"It's…" the girl looked positively confused, maybe no one had apologized to her before. Her face had been cleaned by a muttering Blaise with a moist handkerchief. She twitched nervously under his gaze and fiddled with her robes before she found her words again, "It's fine. I'm not hurt. Can I go back to dinner?"

"Yes, everyone, back to eating. This spectacle is over," Minerva ushered the snakes back to their table, leaning just him and Neville. The boy seemed unable to look directly at him and was trying to chew through his bottom lip.

"Erm, sorry again. I-I mean you were hurting her so, um. Oh! Sev left his book. I'll go give it to him," Neville announced with all the grace and casualty of a ballerina elephant. Then he was scrambling towards the Slytherins. Remus looked around and spotted Harry. Of course the boy was looking at him like he was some kind of violent pervert.

"I didn't join because Sev seemed to have it under control," Harry said more to his bushy haired friend than the professor himself. Remus very nearly wept. Harry was his pack and now the pup hated him. Child. Harry was a child. And still hated him. Remus trudged slowly and sadly to the head table, invisible tail between his legs.

"A student, really wolf?" Rolanda sneered though she kept her voice low. Not low enough to not hurt Remus's feelings though. He would bring up the stalker to Albus at some other time. Speaking of which, he looked to the old man. He didn't even seem surprised by the whole event and only gave him a small, reassuring smile when he noticed his gaze. Peter gave his arm a firm squeeze. Remus sighed gently, well at least he had a couple people on his side.

+/-

Severus nibbled idly at his dinner, parchment in his hand. It was old but not by decades and it was obviously well used. The ink was slightly smudged by someone's oily fingers touching it and there were liquids splattered on it. Luckily everything was still clearly seen and read. So Severus could tell that the potion besides it just couldn't be the same. The instructions were in great detail and specified that the potion would smell faintly like gasoline at this stage. This smelled like cold piss. He turned thoughtful. The instructions didn't tell him what the potion did but… was it a Death Eater concoction? Severus sipped at his pumpkin juice. That was unlikely. Whatever was in it, wasn't being made correctly. What sort of half cocked evil organization would use an incorrectly made potion?

"Sev? You in here?" Sweet Merlin! If Severus wasn't Severus he would have gracelessly fallen off the desk and spilled everything along the way. But he was Severus so he whirled with his wand pointed and already spitting out a hex. Obviously though Neville had become adjusted to such a reaction. He had already plastered himself to the floor, the spell flying harmlessly over his head. Good, he wasn't quite skilled enough to reverse turning someone's head into butterflies. The hand was surprisingly gruesome.

"Do you have a tracking spell on me?" Severus demanded, sliding from the desk and walking up to the boy. He towered over him, wand making him go crossed eye.

"No…" Neville whimpered then he muttered, "you'd find that."

"What did you say?" Severus hissed, pressing his wand into the boy's forehead. Did the Gryffindor not know what he was capable of? Did he not sense the very true danger he was in? Severus did not appreciate having a... a _stalker_! Especially not while he was stalking his own prey.

"Nothing! Nothing! You left your book in the Great Hall," Neville carefully lifted himself to reveal said book.

"You could've given it to Harry," Severus still eyed the boy suspiciously. He never felt any ill intent from Neville or got a sense that the boy had any sort of nefarious plans. From his brief observations, Neville was a kind hearted sorta coward with bad luck and a horrible case of clumsy and forgetfulness. He was as harmless as a puppy but puppies grew into dogs… Severus sighed and slipped his wand back up his sleeve. "You can't seem to locate your belongings but you seem to always be able to find me. Should I find any spyware on my person, I'll feed your corpse to the Forbidden Forest. I'm sure there is some creature there that's very hungry."

"Thanks for not letting them eat me alive," Neville scrambled to his feet and after the boy. He let out a quiet yelp and rushed back to shut and lock the door when Severus flashed teeth at him.

"It is the least I could do… you helped in the Great Hall," Severus pointed out. Guilt wasn't something he felt very often but this was an exception. After he'd made his way past Lupin, he threw a glamour over his Pansy disguise and closed his robes over his school uniform. He had already integrated himself with the Gryffindors by the time Lupin burst through the doors. But how was he to know that Millicent would be walking towards the table? She looked absolutely terrified and why wouldn't she be?

"Harry told me not to, that you had it but he sorta said it too late," Neville grinned sheepishly, pulling himself onto the tall chair. Severus was back with his dinner and the potion, quite close to making up his mind. To be honest, his attack of Lupin wasn't planned. After all, there were hundreds of people around—including highly capable adults. But then he heard Millicent's quiet whimper and realized that the girl wasn't going to even attempt to fight back. Severus barely recalled grabbing the serving plate. He just remembered repeating to himself to not pull out his wand, don't hex the man, don't murder him.

"You also gave me your cloak," Severus recalled, his voice sounding distracted. He banished the ruined potion and found that he didn't regret it.

"My Gran says small people get colder faster," Neville answered, eyes wide at his actions. It was quite obvious to the Gryffindor that they weren't supposed to be in the room—it was Professors Lupin's private lab after all so whatever potion Severus was touching wasn't his.

"Normally I would just brew a second batch alongside but this potion specifies all the tools used be made of solid silver. I have no need for those materials so I don't have any," Severus shrugged. It was true. In the future he'd have every variation of cauldron ever made and he'd have fun seeing the effects but for now his potions were content in his copper cauldrons.

"What is this potion?" Neville asked, nose curling in disgust. It started to stink as soon as Severus started to cut a wiggling worm. Something that looked a lot like pus oozed out of the creature and on Severus's hands.

"Cut the aconite into thin slivers," Severus instructed, tilting his chin at the flowers. If the boy was going to stay then he would make himself useful, "You follow me around."

"What?" Neville looked confused before he took in the words and blushed all the way to his ears. Suddenly he was incapable of looking Severus in the eyes. "I… I wouldn't call it following you."

"Have you seen anyone else stalking me as you do?" Severus ignored his denial as it was an obvious lie. Severus spent his time checking on several targets (though recently it was just Lupin) so he knew a stalker when he saw one. And Neville was definitely a stalker. A good one, though Severus held back the compliment. He'd be more impressed if the boy could do it while Severus was not preoccupied. Everyone knew that stalkers had nearly zero chances of noticing a stalker, too engrossed in their own subject but they did notice who was around.

"Ummm, well…" Neville fidgeted, his hands shaking as he slowly cut the flower. He was confident that, if he was doing it wrong that Severus would have snatched it away or informed him in a not so nice way. So he tried to steady his hands and his heart. It practically pounded in his chest and through his ears. "I don't think so?"

"Think harder!" Severus demanded, throwing in some silver flecks. Why would the pudgy boy answer him without even considering it, was he embarrassed at being caught? Neville flinched harshly and it was Severus's hand that stopped him from slicing his fingers. Luckily he had donned a silver netted glove and the blade slid harmlessly across. "I should have known not to startle you with a weapon in your hand." It was not an apology.

"No, I'm sorry. I just… I wasn't like stalking you like those bad guys you hear about. I just… I don't know how to make friends?" Neville screwed up his face as he tried to verbalize his thoughts.

"You want to be friends with me?" Now that was a new one. Most people were smart enough to avoid him, Slytherins and Harry not included for obvious reasons. He squinted at the boy with a new idea causing his suspicion to spark, "Did Harry tell you to pursue me?"

"What? No!" Neville denied immediately. Severus snorted. This boy would be a terrible accomplice. His face was too truthful. He looked absolutely scandalized at the idea, like Severus asked him if he diddled animals or something. They fell into a comfortable silence, Severus moving through the potion like he's been brewing it for years and Neville helping like an actually competent lab partner. He wasn't too surprised by this, the boy was adequate under his guidance in class. He was just terribly clumsy. And sweaty.

"Oh… how come you're wearing a girl's uniform? It's too big," Neville broke the silence first.

"None of your business," Severus answered, only half hearing the question.

"Oh. Umm, did you get into a fight? You got bruises," Neville pointed to where the skirt had risen and he could just make out purple. Severus followed his finger as though he didn't know what he was talking about. Yes, it was quite the unpleasant surprise to him as well. It turned out Pansy had a few enemies she wasn't telling anyone about.

"Also none of your business," Severus turned back to his potion.

"If you tell me I'll tell you who else, erm, stalks you," Neville carefully kept his eyes diverted. Severus did not stop stirring but his eyes did land on the other boy.

"Are you trying to _blackmail_ me?" Severus rumbled quietly.

"No! I mean, sorta?" Neville gave him a sheepish grin, "I've never tried to get someone to tell me anything and I was thinking that you'd tell me if I could tell you something but I don't know anything but then I started to think about the, erm, my um following you sometimes."

"A Slytherin you are not. You are aware I could just go down the list of most likely suspects and use your face to see who it is," Severus rolled his eyes when the boy slapped his hands over his face. Well, it was too late for that and unnecessary. The information the boy wanted wasn't even half as valuable as the information Severus sought. "I used polyjuice to disguise myself as Pansy Parkinson just after Herbology."

"So that's why I lost track of you," Neville muttered to himself, perhaps he thought Severus was hard of hearing.

"It turns out that her friendship with Granger is not greatly appreciated among the older students. I managed to beat back her attackers inconspicuously enough but I couldn't manage without a few bruises." There was a twenty minute waiting period so he took this time to drop his robes and reveal the extent of damage. The bruises on his neck were the least noticeable as he had been taken by surprise but had recovered in enough fashion to dislodge that first hand. There were boot shaped marks on his thighs from being kicked and then stomped. They led up to his stomach. The hand marks on his arms seemed huge, like a giant had grabbed the small boy. "Do not look too concerned. I plan on cutting off their penises and combining them into one abomination."

"The penises or the people?" Neville didn't really want to know the answer but he also, sorta did want to know. Severus paused in sliding his robes back on. He hadn't thought of that.

"The penises of course but now that you mention it…" Perhaps he would do both. It wouldn't make up for the fear that had first coursed through his blood or the humiliation of having a boot grind into his face or, when his skirt flipped and those disgusting boys made notes on his panties. No, it wouldn't make up for it but it would be a great start.

"Maybe you should tell a professor instead?" Neville tried, looking pale as his imagination tried to catch up with Severus's. Neville looked away when he was leveled with a truly unimpressed look. Well, Severus had answered him so it was now his turn. Hopefully what he said made sense and wouldn't disappoint the boy.

"What're you doing!?" A voice growled. The two first years whipped around and their stomachs dropped. Standing in the doorway, practically foaming at the mouth was Professor Lupin. Neville was sure he's never seen any adult so angry and he could only gape as the man came at them like a whirlwind. He whimpered when the man grabbed him by the back of the neck but he didn't struggle. Professor Lupin was a teacher, he was just mad that they were messing with his potion. But when he went for Severus the boy actually hissed and pointed his wand at the man.

"Let him go," the boy commanded.

"You point your weapon at me, pup?" The words seemed pushed and forced out his throat, almost as though he didn't really know how to speak and was learning with each word. Neville tried to turn his head to look at the man but the hand just tightened until there were tiny pin pricks like claws trying not to pierce his flesh.

"Let. Him. Go. Or I will skin you and make you into a very handsome rug," Severus threatened. Neville gulped. Something was happening, something much more dangerous than he had first thought.

"A pup, no matter the talent, is still just a pup," Professor Lupin continued in the strange voice. Severus pressed his lips together, he could sense that Lupin was strong physically and magically. The wizard could best him in record time especially with Neville as a hostage. He cursed himself for even caring about hitting the boy with a hex. Harry was rubbing off on him.

"I started your potion over," Severus slowly directed his wand towards the potion so that the beast could see exactly where and what was his next target, "It's fresh and brewing correctly. I will blast it to kingdom come and you will _really_ suffer come next moon."

"Umm?" Neville was sure that the man shouldn't be… laughing? Was he laughing? It sounded more like someone scratching nails on a chalkboard or an old, cobwebbed corpse taking its first breath again or maybe that was the sound of someone who never laughed like it was the voice of someone who never spoke.

"You are a stupid pup to think I want that _poison_ ," the man spat. Severus relaxed minutely and smirked as the man's hand jerked around Neville's neck.

"You may not want it but Lupin certain does." The man growled and attempted to tighten his hand but found it slowly loosening instead. He tried to grab the pup with his other hand but his first, disobedient hand grabbed that one. Neville scurried as fast as he could to Severus's side and took in the strange sight of their teacher attacking himself. It was like the man was two people, tearing and growling and biting at himself.

"W-what's wrong with him?" Neville stuttered, body wracked by terrified shivers. He grabbed the boy's hand and attempted to pull him to the door but Severus stood fast, eyes locked on the crazed man and wand back on him. With Neville out of the way, he'd eviscerate Lupin if he took even a single step this way.

"Leave us, Longbottom," Severus commanded, ignoring the pull at his arm. He needed to see who would be the victor then he was going to squeeze every single bit of information he could… if the man won over the beast. Besides him, Neville seemed to be at a loss for words but he made his point clear as his grip stopped pulling and turned into holding his hand in a disgustingly sweaty hand. Well, he supposed he'd be scared too if he wasn't who he was.

The door slammed shut with a stream of magic. Ah, it looked like the fight was over.

The man had won.

"He's a werewolf," Severus said loudly to the trembling boy but his eyes never left their teacher. Something like a smile curled his lips.

Ha.

Gotcha.

+/-

TBC

I hope it's been enjoyed, please let this one know. I feel like I'm posting these too fast as a side note but if the words came then why not post them? By the by I absolutely adore Neville. Can yall tell? Also that roast session Harry had was like my favorite to write.


	17. Weirdo

Omg. "Wait until my father hears of this" is the same as "I'm telling Severus". Harry, no. What have I done to you?

-/+

"He's a werewolf," Neville parroted back, seemingly testing the words on his tongue. He almost asked the boy if he was sure. He's heard stories about werewolves before and they did not paint the gentle, kind Professor that he knew. Neville rubbed at his throat, maybe not too kind and gentle. He looked to the smaller boy to see that he hadn't lowered his wand yet and still had that smile on his face. It was not a goodwill smile and Neville was extremely grateful that he was on this side of the room.

"It will need to be stirred in fifteen minutes," Severus announced in the quiet air. He gestured for the man to sit.

"There is no need for that, Mr. Potter," Lupin slowly, carefully moved towards the chair. He wrinkled his nose as the potion's fumes pressed down on all of his senses. It was actually a great relief as it almost made him feel like a normal wizard but it still stank to the high heavens and tasted like a rotting corpse. Made correctly. Lupin couldn't help his brows from furrowing. Although it was only half done, it looked and smelled completely different than the concoction Peter made. Lily would be proud to have birthed such a little genius. Now if she would approve of his extracurricular activities… Lupin smiled balefully, maybe she would. Lily wasn't friends with Snape for no reason after all, there was a vicious streak in that woman.

"Give Longbottom your wand," Severus demanded in response.

"M-me?" Neville almost clinched out of his skin.

"Yes, you. If he snatches you again, I've an excellent spell that feels like a punch. It'll hit him in the throat and collapse his Adam's apple," Severus assured the boy though it was mostly directed as a warning to the man. He needed him to understand that Severus's patience was thin at the moment, thin enough that that punch was likely to feel like a sledgehammer. His threat seemed to work as the man made no sudden moves and simply allowed his wand to be taken by the nervous boy. Neville immediately scampered back to Severus's side.

"You use a spell to plug your nose during class." Severus started with something that he knew was a fact. How else could the man smell a student out of bed but not a fire right behind him?

"Yes."

"This potion allows you to maintain control while in your transformed wolf form." He waited for the man to lie.

"Yes."

"You knew Lil… my mum and dad."

"Yes."

"You're a werewolf."

"Yes."

"You're a Death Eater."

"No!" The man denied immediately. He jerked suddenly, hands snatching at his sleeves. Before Severus could make up his mind to hit the man with a binding spell two hairy forearms were held out for his gaze. They were littered with silver scars and red welts from the most recent incident. Other than that they were boring forearms. Severus stepped closer to touch the flesh, just to make sure that there wasn't some sort of muggle solution being used. "Death Eaters are marked with a skull and snake. It is a brand of sorts, completely permanent and impossible to hide. I have never nor would I ever be a Death Eater."

"Then what of your friend, Pettigrew?" Severus tilted his head, well aware of dark marks. Snape was his godfather after all. Actually, he was sure that the man should never be around children; the things he told him were quite horrifying indeed. To top it off they were mostly things Snape himself has done while under the Dark Lord's command. Yes, he knew of the man's slip into evil but he highly doubted that the same reformation could be said for Pettigrew—if he was a Death Eater.

"Harry was attacked by two. I concluded that it was you and the rat."

"How did you know his animagus?" Remus frowned. Severus rolled his eyes. If he hadn't already assumed it to be fact, Remus definitely just let him know. But the confirmation was helpful, now he knew to slit any rat that approached him from groin to throat. Why was the man spying on him? He hadn't seen him recently… so what was he doing now?

"Is he a Death Eater?" Severus countered but he knew the question was useless. Remus Lupin was a kind man, one who wore his heart on his sleeve. He was haggard and tired from transforming every month but Severus saw the warmth he had for each student, even the Slytherins, even the ones who hated him and called him names behind his back but in his vicinity. Some students were brave enough to abuse him to his face. A man that kind would never suspect or turn on a friend.

"No, Peter would never do that," Lupin denied vehemently. Predictable. Severus sighed and his wand slipped back up his sleeve. This was over. Although he solved the (rather boring) mystery of Lupin, he was sure the man hadn't attacked Harry. In fact, the intense stare and slightly moving lips was likely the man reciting a counter curse. Fat load of good it had done. Harry nearly died. Severus glared at the man for being the useless sack of beast he was but that didn't mean that the potion had to suffer. The fifteen minutes were up. Lupin made a distressed noise in his throat akin to a dog's whine. It embarrassed him enough to make him clear his throat and try human words.

"You don't believe me but please try. I didn't simply know your parents. Lily and James were my best friends. Our best friends. Every step of their lives together, I witnessed and participated in it. When you died… when we _thought_ you were stillborn we all mourned you. When Harry took his first step we all cheered. On and on, milestone after milestone all four of us were together."

"Five." Severus muttered, distracted once again. He didn't need a five minute bleeding heart speech because that's all he was hearing from the man. Lupin made a curious noise, confused. "It was mum, dad, you, Pettigrew and Black. That's five."

Perhaps he should just tie the man down and explore his mind. He glanced at him and gave a shudder upon meeting unnaturally gold eyes. No, he was quite sure he wouldn't enjoy that particular beast. Besides, Severus felt that the man had little to no information he wanted at this moment.

"We don't talk about him," Lupin said, the growl back in his voice.

"Does Longbottom need to restrain you?" Severus cocked his head just barely.

"No," Lupin cleared his throat and repeated himself. "That man did something utterly unforgiv—!"

"He was their secret keeper, wasn't he?" Severus rolled his eyes at the gaping man. Seriously, one did not have to be a genius to guess that. Not that Severus guessed. He had already been told it as fact. 'That mangy mutt turned on his friends like the rabid, murdering psychopath he truly has always been' were Snape's exact words. "Wolves put such gravity on pack but you aren't a wolf. You're a man, a wizard. Open your eyes and see!" Severus resisted the real urge to beat the man with his ladle. But it was silver and would likely leave a permanent, visible mark.

Remus fell silent. He wanted to be angry at the pup—child, he wanted to grip him by the scruff and shake every disrespectful nerve out of the little redhead. Remus was a highly capable, knowledgeable _adult_. If the position wasn't cursed, he'd be the DADA professor and really be able to show off his skills. But he had a feeling that even in his element, this little brat would still be nasty. Remus wanted to be angry but could he be? He used _friendship_ as a reason why someone wasn't a traitor. What did friendship mean in times of war? Remus rubbed at his face. But they weren't supposed to be at war any more! What war lasted from childhood to adulthood? Would he be fighting when he turned eighty? One hundred?

Stop that. Remus pinched the bridge of his nose. He was just startled. If he were before a fellow adult, this wouldn't be so strange, so hard. Maybe if the boy was larger and not wearing a girl's uniform. A girl's…?

"You're my stalker?" Remus frowned.

"I've no idea what you're talking about. Well, I have gotten your potion back to where it belongs," Severus climbed carefully from the table, leaving his half eaten dinner plate. Lupin could take care of it, Severus had more important things to do.

"Wait!" Lupin reached out but stopped short of actually grabbing the boy. As a werewolf he healed quickly (which is why the dinner attack hadn't resulted in serious injury) but injuries still hurt. And he knew that Severus would try to injure him as much as possible. The boy stopped short, eyebrow raising in question. "You cannot tell anyone what you know."

"Yes, yes," Severus waved him off, "I will keep your secret. Attempt to guard it better because I will need favors from you and that can't happen if you aren't here."

"I will not be blackmailed," Remus snapped, this time managing to keep Moony at bay. Something about this pup (fuck! Child! Child!) made Moony itchy and aggressive. Like Severus was challenging the beast directly.

"I do not plan on blackmailing you." If Severus rolled his eyes once more, they'd fall out of his head. Severus was an eleven year old child. While he could blackmail the wolf, he could guess that it would only last a few months at most. The wolf would get tired or embarrassed or realize he could overpower him and to Hell with the secret. No, no. Severus would keep blackmailing for someone else.

"Our relationship will be mutually beneficial. I will continue to make your potion—Wolfsbane?—every month and you will do things for me that I think is worth my effort. How much do you think your sanity is worth?"

Remus was sure that, somehow, this was worse. But the pup (Remus gave up) had him caught in a tank that was roomy enough to make him think he was free. Wolfsbane had no price, it was priceless. Remus would do almost anything for that relief.

"I'm glad we can agree," Severus leveled him with a bright, pretty smile that almost made Remus forget the boy was a demon. Almost. "Come along, Neville. I have some—oh. I almost forgot." Severus turned on his heel and walked right up to Remus. "In your school days was there anyone who suddenly disappeared? A girl. Perhaps she had ashy blond hair and dark eyes? She would have been a Slytherin."

Remus shook his head. Then sighed, "Do you have anything else to go off? Perhaps—."

"Thank you," Severus cut him off. Rude pup. "Leave your office unlocked from now on. It took me nearly five minutes to strip your wards."

Stop that, Moony. Remus wanted to punch the wolf for being proud at stalling a pup. But he had it wrong. Moony wasn't proud of stalling a pup—that would be stupid. The wolf was proud of the strong addition to his pack and yes, despite making his hackles rise, Moony accepted this boy as his pack now. Remus would probably be horrified if he learned that Moony _liked_ this human pup but he truly did. There was something dangerous and beast-like about the boy. Like a wolf in sheep's clothing. Moony settled inside his host.

That pup took a lot out of them.

+/-

Poppy reached back to fluff her pillow before replacing it. Now, Poppy could admit that she had her fair share of pillows and she rather liked being comfy but Minerva? Her dear, best friend since girlhood, Minerva? Oh that woman knew the true meaning of comfort. Spread throughout each of her rooms were a multitude of blankets softer than the softest cashmere and pillows fluffier than a griffin's chick. Minerva also provides soft, fluffy robes and slippers made of pure sin.

So, obviously, during the school year, they had their get-togethers in the professor's rooms. Poppy made sure to provide the whiskey and the tea. They were getting older after all, too much hard liquor before bed would be unwise.

She looked over to her friend to see her grumbling at her pillows and blankets as she got comfortable on an overstuffed armchair.

"It had to be Severus, right?" Poppy was not laughing at her dear friend but the woman was in such a _mood_. She supposed she would be too if she had been on those stands when they came crumbling down but she wasn't so she had a grand time laughing at her dear friend.

"I have no proof of that," Minerva sniffed her tea before taking a sip. It sent nice warmth into her belly and through all her aching muscles.

She couldn't and wouldn't place the blame at Severus's feet but for the stands to come falling down just as Harry's broom was jinxed… well, it was highly suspicious. Added to the fact that Poppy has allowed the boy to _leave his detention._ She gave the slightly younger witch a brief glare. "You cannot show him special attention, Poppy. He is no longer Severus Snape."

"I am not an idiot, Minerva," Poppy sniffed. She didn't need to be told the full story because she knew Snape's magical core. It had taken her a second to recognize it in this different casing but a core was a core, it could not be altered into someone else's. "I don't understand what he is planning but I recognize that the Severus Snape I knew is essentially dead."

"I don't understand what that man is thinking either. Albus should have let me have the boy, I would've—." Minerva definitely thought she would have raised a very polished, kind Severus. Oh, the Dursley's did well enough (beyond a few… incidents) but he was still so very… _devious_. But Minerva was unable to fully paint the Severus she would have raised because Poppy cut off her. It was all very well, she's definitely spewed the same ideas on other tea whiskey nights.

"I'm not talking about Albus. His is a mind I never want to be in," Poppy shuddered, "I'm talking about Snape. I don't know what _he_ is planning."

"What ever do you mean?" Minerva urged her friend to continue.

"You don't think that Severus _accidentally_ made a reverse aging potion do you?" Poppy quirked an eyebrow, ignoring the way her friend nearly choked on her tea. "I am not saying that Severus is perfect but I will say that he is a dangerous, crafty man. This could be a very elaborate scheme."

"That explosion could have killed him," Minerva frowned, patting at her lap blanket. Her hands shook just a bit. When she and Albus had come across the lab, it was barely even a lab anymore. There was chaos everywhere, water running from the broken pipes, rocks still coming down, a small fire in the corner and a tattered black robe poking from underneath. Tears were falling down her cheeks before they even started trying to save the man underneath. But he was okay, he was alive at least.

"Not only that but Severus is a loyal fighter for the light. He never would run from his responsibilities," Minerva continued. Not that it worked if that had been the plan. Albus managed to craft a plan that fell conveniently in place like puzzle pieces and still put Severus to use. Minerva rubbed her aching shoulder, yes the man turned boy certainly lived up to whatever expectation Albus had. He was swift and deadly.

Minerva held up a hand when Poppy started to protest, "No, no more of that. And don't let these conspiracy theories reach anyone's ears."

Poppy pursed her lips. She didn't understand, not truly understand, what those accusations (she didn't see them as such) could do to the boy. She didn't understand that if Severus planned his de-aging then it would be reasonable to assume that he'd have a contingency plan or a back up or some sort of plan B. Or, worse, someone could think he was _faking_ and that could lead nowhere good. She didn't understand this but she knew that her friend cared for the little Slytherin and wanted the best for him. So she'd keep any of her thoughts to their tea time.

"Did you hear that Harry verbally tore into some upper class men?" Poppy grinned around her cup's rim, smoothly changing the subject. Minerva gasped, shock visible on her face. Poppy nodded and started to recount the insults she heard through the gossip mills.

Severus was fine for now.

He was happy at least.

-/+

Quirinus smiled but the resulting frown made him very aware that the smile was probably not his best. He fidgeted and begged his master to tell him what to say but his master remained silent. The piece of wizard had fallen oddly quiet after the Quidditch game but he was still there, right in the back of his mind. Just so quiet. It should be a relief but now he was pinned by intense green eyes.

"Do you have a twin?" Harry Potter, yes _that_ Harry Potter had cornered him. Well the boy was a child so it wasn't really cornering him but it definitely felt like it.

"I'm uh, n-n-no. W-w-wh-why w-would y-y-y-you ask t-that?" Quirinus tried another smile but this one was shaky and nervous. Wake up you stupid soul! No, he didn't mean stupid but he was scared. His master would know what to do.

"You stutter less in class and sometimes you seem… different," Harry scratched at his scar but it was an idle itch like one he could easily ignore.

Technically there was five minutes until curfew and he was in the dungeons so he didn't have time for this but this man was just too weird for Harry to just walk past. What was the DADA professor even doing in the dungeons? And Harry was sure he'd seen the man staring hard at his brother on multiple occasions. Too hard. Like McGonagall but in a creepier way.

"B-b-being in f-f-front of m-m-mmm-my st-students m-m-makes m-me l-l-l-less n-nerv-nervous," Quirinus could... honestly say that. Or he thought that he could. Sometimes, only sometimes, the wizard thought that maybe he wasn't himself. Maybe the memories he had weren't quite his, maybe the dreams made no sense and sometimes their thoughts weren't two thoughts. Sometimes it was just his master's. And that. When had his thoughts turned from dark lord to master?

But it would be over soon. Christmas break was just around the corner and it would be mostly empty at that point. He planned to find the philosopher's stone and restore his master's body and receive his gift of great power. He just had to make it to Christmas break.

"Harry, there you are." Quirinus nearly jumped from his skin. He whipped around to see the other Potter standing mere feet from him. For a second, the nervous man thought his master stirred but, still, he did not speak. "Good evening professor. Come along, Harry."

"But—!" Harry started to protest even as his brother began to drag him away. Quirinus was so relieved by his good luck that he almost didn't notice that they were heading in the complete opposite direction of the Slytherin dorms.

"He knooowwwsss."

Quirinus jerked then relaxed once more. It was just his master. He looked up as though to meet the eyes of a man taller than him. Thank Merlin he was back. He thought he'd been abandoned. "I-I th-thought—."

"He _knnooowwwsss_ ," his master repeated. Heat lapped at his consciousness, promising pain if he didn't answer correctly. But he didn't know the answer. He didn't even know the question. "Cleevveerr bboooyyy."

"I-if he d-d-does kn-kn—ah!" Wrong answer! Wrong answer! Quirinus fell to the ground, trying his best to not flail too wildly as pain consumed his entire being.

"It is noooottt iiiffff. Heeee. Knnoowwwsss."

"W-why hasn't…" Quirinus coughed, iron fresh on his tongue. It hurt to speak, it hurt to blink. But he managed to condense his question in one croaked our word. "Dumbledore."

Voldemort wished he had eyes so that he could roll them. He wished he had hands so he could pluck out this idiot's eyes. Why couldn't he have been discovered by a more competent staff member? Even an idiot like Hagrid could tell that Severus trusted no one much less the Headmaster. It was the only way to live.

Well, he wouldn't have to deal with Quirinus for long. Christmas break was coming and once this idiot brewed his potion and consumed it, Voldemort would consume the rest of his soul and take over this pathetic body. Well, it wouldn't be pathetic once he was finished.

He deserved something much better.

If only he could take over Potter's body. There was something there, inside the boy. Something his, something that he craved.

But no, it was too risky.

Better to kill him and take his Severus.

-/+

"Sev, what're you doing? I had that weirdo!" Harry flailed one arm but did nothing else to stop himself from being guided elsewhere. It was always best to go along with Severus and find out along the way or later but that didn't mean he had to be quiet about it… once out of earshot of the formerly mentioned weirdo.

"Don't go near him again," Severus ordered simply. He could not explain the horror he has felt seeing Harry squaring off with the possible enemy. He didn't even have his wand out!

"He's been staring at you all weird!" Harry protested. It's bad enough two freaks are trying to kill him now he had a strong suspicion on which one wanted Severus. But Professor Quirrell didn't look a thing like that monster. Harry shook his head, nope! That was longer a viable reason. Magic did crazy stuff so Professor Quirrell being Voldemort in disguise was on the table.

"He's been doing more than that. He's been _following_ me," Severus spat, face twisted in disgust and anger. They entered the potion's lab with a simple twist of the knob. Good, Lupin wasn't as dumb as he looked. "I have many stalkers it seems and Quirrell is the most likely in cohorts with Pettigrew."

"So you ruled out Professor Lupin," Harry nodded, oddly relieved. Severus told him that the man was a really good friend of their parents and after meeting his dad Harry was itching to talk to their potions professor.

"Yes. He's a werewolf." Severus froze suddenly then looked over his shoulder at Harry, his cheeks pink. "Don't repeat that to anyone. Absolutely no one." Harry wisely held back his amusement, miming zipping his lips and throwing away the key. Severus hadn't meant to let that slip, he never, ever let anything slip and look at that. He trusted Harry so much that it just came out like casual chit chat.

So Professor Lupin was a werewolf. Somehow, he didn't find that very surprising.

"Isn't that a little funny that his name is Remus Lupin? It's kinda like being named Wolfy Wolf," Harry commented. Severus made a choking noise and leveled Harry with a disappearing stare.

"That is not the…" Severus sighed and turned to the wolfsbane instead. He didn't even stop the curious Harry from leaning in close and getting a nice nose full of the disgusting brew. In fact he smiled at the utter disgust and slightly green edges. Served him right.

"I've made a deal with Lupin. He's to do a favor for me that I find worthy of this potion. I suggest you use it to demand he tell you every thing he knows of our parents." It was all the werewolf was good for at the moment. He had planted a seed of doubt in his mind about the rat. With luck it was deep enough to take root and for that to cause action. Severus sighed. When have they ever had luck?

Well it was lucky that the potion had long gaps of simmering so it made it easy for them to go through their various extracurricular activities and biweekly updates (or however long they haven't seen each other).

Harry explained that he tried his damn best to stay away from Professor Pettigrew. After all, anyone Severus deemed creepy enough for them to both observe together had to be bad news. Actually, creepy wasn't even the word. Harry shuddered as he recalled how the man had just… been… there. Just there. Being. Everywhere Harry turned. And always smiling. And never blinking. It was quite horrifying actually so Harry made sure he always had a buddy with him. Maybe if Harry didn't have the suspicion that the man tried to kill him just a little while ago it wouldn't be so bad. He did just seem to want to talk but Harry wasn't stupid.

"I caught him in his rat form a few months back so he must have switched tactics," Severus concluded. Harry nodded, that is the exact thought he had. He rolled his eyes. They were kids but they weren't that naïve. Severus described his conversation with Neville (Harry received a head thump for laughing) which led into the confrontation with Lupin and then Neville revealing his other stalker. Professor Quirrell.

"I'm calling it now. He's Voldemort with a human mask on." There Harry went again. Taunting Lady Luck.

"It would be more likely that he is possessed by Voldemort's hateful exposed soul." Oh and there Severus went joining him.

The red haired boy smiled at his brother's light chuckles then frowned. There were several things wrong with their theory. The first and most obvious is how did the man manage to sneak into Hogwarts? Did Dumbledore not notice? Did Quirrell show no strong changes? The second being just how dangerous and stupid that would be. An exposed soul was, well, _exposed._ Even weak magic could destroy it unless it was being nourished constantly and protected somehow.

"Wanna bet five galleons?" Harry wiggled his eyebrows.

"How morbid, let's make it ten."

-/+

TBC

I hope it was enjoyed, I know this one was shorter but! We're coming close to the end! Not sure of the title yet but I'm ready to get to second year.

Omg could you imagine turning a corner and Pettigrew is just standing there, trying to smile all casual? And not just that corner but every corner?

See y'all next time!


	18. Feel Good

Are we ready?!

-/+

Christmas!

Christmas!

Harry didn't even wait for himself to awaken completely before he rolled out of bed, barely landing on his feet, and dashed across the room. He was too excited to see clearly! It was Christmas, who needed glasses?!

Harry threw open Ron's curtains.

Aww the boy was still sleeping, all rolled up like a warm burrito. So cozy and so asleep. Harry threw a glance at the window, well the sun was just coming over the horizon… maybe he should let the boy sleep?

Ha! Just kidding.

Harry took a running start and jumped onto the snoring lump. Ron let out a startled squawk and flailed, rolling instinctively away from his attacker. Harry laughed, it was too late for that! His limbs wrapped securely around the boy and they went rolling off the bed. Luckily (and as planned) the fluffy Ron landed on the floor first, Harry still laughing on top of the redhead.

"Harry!" Ron gasped, panting hard. "Blimey, you nearly gave me a heart attack, you berk!"

"It's Christmas, Ron!" Harry cheered, not even hearing the complaints. He leaned down and rubbed noses with his friend which the boy protested immediately.

"Argh! Affection!" Ron, his face now redder than his hair, attempted to twist in his prison but Harry was heavier than he looked and quite willing to take advantage of this fact. So he was trapped, unable to fend off the love his friend was giving him. Like the big, warm forehead kiss!

Ron grew up with six siblings and two very loving parents so he was not a stranger to kisses and hugs but that was when he was a baby! He was practically a grown man now, starting Hogwarts and making his own way. Ron had accepted that, upon coming to school, that his siblings wouldn't let him be killed or anything but they also weren't going to go out of their way to interact with him. They had their own lives after all!

He was prepared, Ron was really prepared, to leave all that lovey stuff behind but Harry was ruining that! He was constantly and suddenly hugging him, giving mindless kisses and cuddling! Harry cuddled! It was torture good enough to make him wanna cry.

It was a terrible Heaven and Ron hated (loved) every minute.

"Oh, I've been replaced."

Ron whimpered. Thank Merlin, someone was saving him. He twisted his head as best he could and met thoroughly unimpressed dark eyes.

Ooh Merlin, it was Severus of all people!

What if he was one of those crazy jealous siblings? Severus has never seen Harry loving on him because Severus was the main source and receiver of affection. What if he cut off Ron's dick?! No matter how many times Harry told him it wasn't true, he wouldn't believe him over the grapevine. The grapevine exaggerated but it didn't lie and, if there was one student who didn't need any exaggerations, it was Severus Potter! Severus Potter was, like, absolutely _barmy_ and Ron wanted to stay only on his good side. If he hadn't befriended Harry and really liked the green eyed boy he wouldn't want to be on any side of the redhead. Good or bad. Just complete avoidance.

"Severus! It's Christmas!" Harry shouted, jumping to his feet. He tackled his new target though he twisted their bodies to soften the blow. As soon as they were stable he started to rain kisses on the pale face in front of him. Severus hooked an arm and leg around him and flipped him into his back. He returned the kisses much to Harry's delight then began his tickle attack.

"Ack! Not fair!" Harry laughed, arching and twisting away from the cold digits. Laughs were forced out of him, mixing with Severus's own evil cackles. He could do this for as long as it took, until Harry could hardly breathe and his face was wet with tears. Until any bad memory before his twin was completely forgotten.

"Don't… don't just stand there!" Harry spotted his friend out of his blanket cocoon and a confused, sleepy eyed Neville standing beside him. Severus didn't pause in his attack, expertly using his weight to pin Harry and his faster fingers dodged his hands' attempts at protecting him, but he did turn his head to look at the two boys. His eyes were narrowed, daring them to even try it. Then, as if a challenge, leaned down and blew a loud raspberry on the trembling, tan tummy.

This was ridiculous.

"Get 'im!" Ron shouted his best warrior shout, gathering all his courage and praying to Lady Magic to protect him.

Then it was war.

Knobby elbow to the gut.

Wayward knee to the shoulder.

Love tap to the chin.

Slightly less love to the back of his head.

Twisty.

Bendy.

Fast.

So fast.

"Ha," Severus scoffed atop his twin.

"How is… he… so… flexible?" Ron panted.

He and Neville had retreated, taking refuge behind the closest bed and peeking over. Harry was back to being attacked with tickles and kisses, looking none the worse and absolutely delighted at the game they now played.

The game that they would win over Severus.

No magic.

Just strength.

It was three… Ron threw a small glare at Harry… it was two against one. They could take that tiny little thing. Ron rubbed his jaw. Okay, they couldn't take that tiny little thing but that was because he was surprised! He knew that the boy was a formidable opponent but he had thought that was with magic, not with his fists!

"Hello?" A new voice. An ally!

Ron whipped his head around to greet the new voice and found himself frowning. It was _Malfoy_. Ugh. He hated all the rich Slytherin purebloods, he really did. If it wasn't against what his mum taught him, Ron would try to beat the smug little ferret every time he saw him. He was so smug and conceited just because his family had all that money—dark magic money, may Ron point out! Even now, all of them were in their pajamas and looking ruffled and rumpled (Severus too) but Malfoy _, Malfoy_ was fully dressed like he was going to a grand ball. His hair was brushed properly and he even—was that a tie? Stuffy, stupid… Ron looked to Severus and Harry.

Dammit.

"Psssttt," Ron hissed.

Malfoy dragged his eyes from the two and to the redhead, adopting a stupid bored look like he was used to this. Ron would bet every bit of money his entire family had that the blond wouldn't know affection if it kissed him right on the lips! Which, okay, now that Ron said it, sounded absolutely terrible. But it wasn't time for heavy thinking, it was war.

"Yes?" The blond drawled all cool and snobby. Argh! Not cool! Just snobby.

Ron blamed Harry for the thought. No one was really privy to the fact that Harry was a really, really Possessive brother. Capitalization necessary. Harry had ranted for hours when the blond first appeared then he cried and worried that his brother was going to leave him then he seethed about how suave Malfoy was then there was the espionage. Ron groaned just thinking about the hours wasted following Malfoy. That was a rough month but then the twins made up and all was good. Now Harry had a 'keep your enemies close' attitude which was better. Less spy work.

"Um, hi, um cousin," Neville grinned nervously. Malfoy glanced at him from the corner of his eye and gave a tiny, snooty sniff. Ron bit on his tongue to not say something rude (but true), not surprised that they were cousins. Neville was technically a rich pureblood too—all Noble house of such and such connecting to blah and blah. Lots of mumbo jumbo.

"Happy Yuletides, cousin," Draco drawled then nodded to Ron, "Weasley."

"Severus is fast and surprisingly strong but he's not _actually_ stronger than us," Ron launched into his plan at a low whisper. He needed an ally and this was the best he had. "He's left handed but he underestimates us so he uses his left primarily. He also made it a point to not leave off top Harry. It is a game so I don't think he's in the mind to actually hurt anyone."

"And what makes you think I'm going to participate in this foolishness?" Malfoy sniffed. Ugh, did he need a tissue? Ron wrinkled his nose, prepared to kick the boy out and adjust his strategy.

"Don't be a spoiled sport, Drakie," Harry called from his spot tied to the wall. Ron did a double take. What the what? Harry was now bound by the wrists against the wall, Severus sitting on him like one might imagine a dragon would to his horde. His arms had been drawn high and seemed stuck as, every once in a while Severus would sneak back a hand to tickle the exposed tummy and his wrists stayed where they were despite his light struggles.

"Yeah, spoilsport," Ron agreed, poking the blond in the forehead. Hard.

"It's going to be fun," Neville tried to encourage his cousin, giving the boy the fastest hand touch he could. Technically they were cousins but it was only by blood. He and his gran weren't even invited to the functions anymore which was fine with Neville. There was always something so creepy about cousin Malfoy's house.

"I won't hold back," Severus gave his own form of encouragement.

"Si, loosen up, Drago," Blaise agreed, ruffling the perfectly brushed blond hair.

"Argh!" Ron fell backwards, away from the Slytherin. It was bad enough it was one but now there were two! Wait, that was even better.

"No, amore mio," the Italian boy waved off his suddenly cheerful look, "I only play to win. So I'll be over there. Tesoro, the Weasley knows you're using your right hand purposely!"

"Why didn't I know that was an option?"

Ron threw Neville a look of utter betrayal. He expected that from Draco, not him!

"Now we're going to win," Ron grumbled darkly under his breath. Maybe it's because he was the only one (minus the obvious twins) with siblings that he understood the gravity of this game. Maybe it's because he had a secret competitive side. It didn't matter. This was war and by golly Ron and his team of three was going to win! He clapped his hands loudly, startling the other two. "Focus!"

It was a hard but swift battle.

Neville was the largest and, out of the three of them, more likely to garner sympathy from Severus so Ron sent him in first. Due to his size it was harder for Severus to fight him one handed so he had no other choice than to keep the battle a little ways away from his hostage. Blaise, a tall but skinny boy stood no chance against Ron who spent his life wrestling his older brothers and constantly getting his butt kicked. Then it was up to Draco to save Harry.

Of course it didn't go that smooth and Ron had to scramble from Blaise to jump in Severus's path when he managed to wiggle away from Neville. And he was surprised that the dark skinned boy was actually tougher and much too excited about this game. Ron was very sure that the teeth he felt in his shoulder was from Blaise.

But after the dust settled there were three trussed up Slytherins and three panting Gryffindors standing proud and beat up above them. Well, not Harry. He didn't have a scratch on him.

"And why am I with them?" Draco demanded, struggling against his bindings. Oh yeah, that was a good question. In all of the chaos he had forgotten that the blond was on their side.

"No good deed goes unpunished?" Harry grinned. After all he was the one who tied up the boy, launching himself at him as soon as he was freed. His startled yelp was more than a symphony to his ears. It was like a balm to his soul. It was his honest opinion that Draco missed the funness of roughhousing. His hair was barely mussed! Draco grumbled something about revenge and fake noble Gryffindors but it was all just for show.

"What say Princess Harry on the punishment for these kidnappers… and ally?" Severus drawled. He was only slightly miffed that he had lost but he reassured himself it was because this was a game and in games the dragon is slain and the princess is rescued.

"Am I a kidnapper? I think I was just an innocent bystander," Blaise chirped, smiling innocently with all his pearly whites.

"Pretty violent bystander if you ask me," Ron rubbed at his fresh bite mark.

"Traitor," Draco gave his friend a light kick.

"I didn't expect the weasel to have a brain," the boy shrugged. Ron choked on his spit, was he the weasel? And, hey! He had a big brain in his head! A huge one! Maybe not to be number one in his classes but he could wipe the floor with just about any of them at any strategy game. He was an absolute beast at chess! Which was a smart game!

"Silence! I have decided on their punishments!" Harry announced loudly. All eyes turned to the green eyed boy and his cheerful grin with its evil edge.

"Harry, I apologize. It will never happen again," Severus suddenly said, trying to garner favor.

"I believe you Severus, I do," Harry nodded in fake sympathy, "And I am a benevolent prince. Your punishment will be the same as your crime."

"Death by tickles!" Harry crowed.

Then the victors descended.

-/+

"What do you think is taking them so long?" Hermione asked, leaning slightly against one of Pansy's legs. The girl had grumbled and mumbled and fussed at her until she sat on the pillow on the floor and allowed her access to her hair. With surprisingly gentle and knowledgeable hands she parted, detangled and was now braiding Hermione's thick locks. Her hand was slapped but she felt that it was actually coming along pretty well.

"Knowing boys, it's something stupid and violent," Pansy scoffed.

"Why are you nice to me?" Hermione blurted. She stayed facing forward and the fingers manipulating her hair didn't even pause but she was sure she felt Pansy tense then relax in the next second.

"You're smart and stupid," Pansy deadpanned.

"I'm not stupid!" Hermione protested. She was the first in all of her classes and memorized every single book she's ever read. She didn't mean it as a brag when she (silently) said she was a genius. She was the exact opposite of stupid!

"You know classes very well, sure," Pansy agreed easily enough, "But with people you are _so_ stupid. It's akin to watching a baby doe take its first steps… except that you never stop taking those first steps. Just a couple words from girls you don't even like and you are done for the day. It's cute."

"Cute that I cry?" Hermione jerked forward to give the girl a real piece of her mind but was jerked just as fast back when she remembered that she was basically a captive.

"Cute that you care. I'm rich and beautiful, why do I care about the opinions of worms? I suppose I have an unfair advantage. There's power in knowledge," Pansy sighed, finishing one braid. It was quite nice if she did say so herself.

Pansy's father had married quickly after her mother's death and Pansy did everything she could to not like the woman (woman was a stretch, she was barely out of her teenage years when she first arrived) but, well, they were both in the same boat so why make unnecessary enemies? Not only that but whenever she helped the woman with her hair or shared any news with her she would go on and on about what she's heard amongst the other socialites. She didn't treat Pansy like she was a kid and dished every bit of dirt, no exception. She guessed it was like hanging out with an older sister.

"Brown's dad is a known trollop with fifteen illegitimate children. Fifteen. Her little sidekick a year above, Cassandra? She's got three brothers, all squibs. It's rumored that the reason she has magic is because her mother found a man with viable seed."

"What?" Hermione didn't mean to laugh, she didn't! But the way Pansy just casually, dryly… she couldn't help but laugh.

"Babies come from—."

"I know!" Hermione interrupted the Slytherin quickly. She wasn't embarrassed by the subject but it was still fresh on her brain when her mom had sat her down and spoke to her about females, males and where babies come from. There were slides.

Pansy chuckled and guided her back into a proper position to receive her second braid. The silence didn't last, Hermione couldn't let this go. She knew that, while Harry did like her, Harry also wanted her for a purpose. A fun purpose involving mystery and shenanigans (that would not get them expelled) but still a purpose.

"Is… is that the only reason? Cause I'm self conscious?"

"Also because I wanted to," Pansy smiled gently, glad that the girl couldn't see her. Something about the muggleborn with her muggle way of thinking was so fresh to Pansy. She just wanted to be friends with Hermione so she did so. Was it without consequences or easy or convenient? No, but it was a choice of Pansy's and she didn't regret it. She should send Lupin an apple or something, he was the reason she ever interacted with the muggleborn.

"At first I was concerned that our shared grade would slip but then I almost died and I realized that I don't do much just for myself. I cut my hair this short because Father thought it fit my face better. I'm going to marry some rich pureblood after graduation and pop out at least two kids, boys preferably. I'll spend my years drinking wine in the day, shopping with my other wine day drinking wives and taking out my frustrations and lost dreams on the House Elves."

"You're… you won't go on to be a healer?"

"A lady has no business working," Pansy recited dutifully. She paused and tilted the girl's head to look her in the eye. Hermione was a muggleborn, a mudblood. She didn't understand the duties one had to family, to bloodlines. She didn't understand that sacrifices were made or that Pansy was lucky that she could complete all seven years and not be pulled out come her fifth. Pansy's own mother, despite having such a fantastical and powerful gift of healing, didn't even get to come to Hogwarts. Everything she learned was through tutors and governesses. But she did her daughter one last favor before she died and compelled her father to let her attend and graduated.

"I enjoy our friendship and will enjoy it the next seven years. Please enjoy it with me," Pansy implored. In a perfect world she'd stay Hermione's friend until they were old and wrinkled. In a perfect world they would go to secondary school together, rooming together like poor people and having nightly chats and braiding each other's hair. They'd be bridesmaids at each other's grand weddings, they'd have kids that were friends just like them.

A perfect world would be nice.

But they didn't live in a perfect world, now did they?

"Even if I become tough and jaded from all these arses?" Hermione tried to joke, searching the girl's eyes for something, anything that would let her know what to do now.

"I wouldn't let that happen,"Pansy smiled and went back to her task, "I've got dirt on everyone in this school, even Potter." She mentioned not the seventh year Slytherins that had taken to harassing her. They were nothing but peons, not that Pansy had seen them recently now that she thought of the insignificant rodents.

"Which one?" Harry chirped. Much like Hermione, he had on pajamas.

"How do you sleep in these things? It's like a burlap sack!" Draco complained loudly, following behind Harry and in someone's pajamas. If Hermione had to guess he was in Ron's pajamas as he was closest to the boy's size but still slightly bigger.

"Sorry we can't all afford clouds," Ron snarked back.

"Luckily Harry has delicate, fine tastes." Blaise sighed, wiggling in Harry's pajamas, buttons undone and torso exposed, "Not silk but definitely not whatever that is."

"Thank Sev, if it was my choice we would be running around naked," Harry flopped besides Pansy. The girl let out a soft noise when warm lips pressed against her cheek and arms wrapped around her for a brief second, "Merry Christmas, Pansy!" Harry did the same to Hermione though from a much more awkward angle. "Merry Christmas, Hermione!"

"Did you want to change too? I've got a clean nightgown," Hermione offered when Pansy finished. The Slytherin looked around the room. When they arrived Draco and Blaise looked as she did, hair brushed and fully dressed, jewelry included. Now it looked like the boys had gone through a whirlwind leaving her the last one looking as one should on such an important holiday.

Pansy shrugged, when in Rome, she supposed.

-/+

Ron didn't think he was going to present the best gift, didn't even think he was going to be top three but he also didn't expect to be the third worst! The first worst was Hermione because she gave out dental stuff. Then came Neville who didn't know anyone really well so he got them all little trinkets at random. Except Severus who got a personalized bag of jellybeans big enough to feed five families for a month and hair ribbons.

"You, uh, push back your hair a lot?" Neville smiled nervously when fixed with the curious look.

Completely unfair but Ron digressed.

As stated third worst was Ron. Everyone had gotten a sweater personally made by his mum and all the love she could muster for six extra kids she didn't even know. It had been so embarrassing writing her about his new friends and even newer, Slytherin… friends. Ugh, it tasted bad just to think about it! Not that any one made him think they didn't like it. The snooty purebloods merely glanced at each other before sliding them on, faces showing obvious surprise by how soft the fabric was. Ha! His mum made excellent sweaters! Stitched perfectly. And each fit like she measured them herself! That last part was partially due to Harry but never mind that.

Tied for fourth was Blaise, Draco and Pansy because, apparently, they were all the same person and each gave out pouches though Pansy handed Hermione a book instead. At first Ron thought they would be filled with baby teeth or snake eggs or something equally weird but no, shiny gold stared back at him. Oh, it was money.

Oh it was money! Ron gaped down at the three Slytherins. It wasn't like a couple of galleons, this was a lot! In each of them. Just one of them was heavy enough to brain someone. He could probably buy the next three years of school supplies in advance or all the candy… in the entire world.

"Do I look like I have time to figure out your likes?" Pansy glared, a small blush on her face at the wide eyed look he was giving her. She had a hard enough time getting Hermione's gift—a rare book titled Mages of Olde—so to have to come up with all these other idiots? No, thank you. The pureblood Slytherins agreed that they were receiving enough gifts from their parents to not have to give them to each other but Severus insisted that they bring something for the Gryffindors. So she gathered all the money her father gave her and then the money her stepmother had slipped her and split it evenly between the Gryffindors.

"Is it not suitable? My mother gives something similar to me every year," Blaise tilted his head. He was genuine in his gift and rather excited for all this hoopla, never having a real Christmas like this. His parents were hardly around, not that he minded but it was times like this that he thought that he might be missing out on something. "I can owl for more if you'd like."

Blaise liked the muggle dental care items and he absolutely adored this handmade sweater and he would treasure this stupid trinket. It was a ring that brought about light cheer, like hearing the disjointed laughter of invisible children. Quite lovely indeed. He could get another twenty or so galleons first this warm feeling he had spreading through his chest.

"M-more!?" Ron was going to faint. On Christmas.

"You'll break him, Blaise," Draco shook his head. He was confused by the reaction as well. After all, their groups didn't interact very often except in the joint presence of the Potter twins so how was he to pick an acceptable, well received gift? Money was so simple and easy to give.

"Next year we will be better friends and I'll make a doll of you," The Italian boy promised, patting the boy's pale hand.

"Like this one?" Severus plucked the hand sized doll from its neatly wrapped package. It was made of wool with shiny brown jewels for eyes and dyed unicorn hair. They all agreed that, while highly creepy, it looked exactly like the fiery haired boy.

"Or this?" Harry displayed a very similar doll in his image. Once again, very creepy but also very well made.

"Yes! Exactly like those!" Blaise nodded cheerfully, quite proud of his gift. He had already given one to Pansy and Draco long ago, when they were around eight years old. Blaise rather liked dolls and he liked his best friends so why not combine them?

Moving on, Harry decided to blow everyone out of the water with highly personalized gifts that left mouths open and a few tears at his thoughtfulness. Ron himself knew that he was choking back tears at the limited edition, fully colored, mega sized poster of the Chudley Cannons.

"How did you know what she looked like?" Pansy hissed, gripping the portrait so hard that Harry almost launched himself across their breakfast to snatch it back.

"You showed Hermione a picture and I painted it from her description. Please don't destroy it, that took me hours!" Harry begged. He hadn't meant to offend the girl but he also didn't know what else to get her.

"I wasn't going to destroy it… I was just surprised. Thank you," Pansy swallowed, looking back down at her mother. Harry had painted her amongst colorful flowers, face scrunched up in a big smile. It was an expression she never recalled her mother making and she decided that this was her favorite portrait. Sweet Merlin, now she had to get to know these idiots better and get them a proper gift next year.

If Ron didn't know better the boy was looking pretty smug at all the thanks and emotions and it only got worse when he pulled out a portrait similar to Pansy's put a wave of his wand later and it was the size of a proper mantle painting. This one was, obviously, presented to Severus.

Of course they all had to gather around and gaped at the massive masterpiece. If Harry didn't become a Quidditch Star then he definitely had artistic talents that would take him far. Four adults, two obviously Lily and James Potter and another two strangers to the rest but meaningful enough to cause a light sheen to cover Severus's eyes. Harry and Severus were sitting in the middle with the women on either side and the men behind them. Although the painting was live, it was set on a loop, them laughing and occasionally rearranging their seating positions like a photograph.

"Is this why you've been asking about them?" Severus swallowed hard. He touched the painting with gentle fingers, eyes glued to his ma's laughing visage. She had the wild shock of blue hair that he loved so very much and eyes blacker than ink. His pa Harry had used the square jawed, dark hair and dark eyes combination Severus described the most. He reached out blindly for the boy, bringing him in for a tight hug. "You draw joy so well. Thank you, Harry"

"You're welcome!" Harry squeezed his brother nice and tight.

Ron wasn't sure how Harry could be topped. But then Severus was bringing forth a bag of clinking glasses. Ooh, potions.

"Is this…?" Hermione sniffed carefully at her potion. She carefully poured some of the liquid out, pink and slippery and singing. "It's singing bubble bath!" Squealed. Hermione actually squealed. Ron wrinkled his nose, he didn't know that Hermione was into girly stuff like that. But it made him curious about his potion.

"Hmmm, I think yours let's you live out your dream fantasy," Hermione leaned over, taking a deep smell of the potion.

"Like playing with the Chudley Cannons?" Ron straightened, eyes sparkling. At Hermione's nod he reached over and placed a hand on Severus's shoulder. "I love you, mate."

"Hey, that poster was hard to find with only an owl and a few rumors!" Harry complained but the smile on his face was just too big to take seriously. He finally opened his own potion. Immediately his nose was filled with rain.

"It's not quite the glove of Zeus but it will allow temporary—."

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" Oh, look at that. They were tangled on the floor again but this time it was Severus being attacked with affection. It only lasted a couple of seconds before Harry was scrambling to his feet and towards their rooms. "I'm gonna go zap a bunch of stuff! I need to get dressed! I'm the lightning king!"

-/+

Peter was an idiot.

An absolute, complete idiot.

He sat, trembling before Dumbledore like an errant school boy. His sleeve was still rolled up to reveal the cold, inactive dark mark. As soon as the possessed Quirrell half mumbled, half slurred 'his' idea the animagus came running to Dumbledore. It wasn't that he didn't believe in the man, it's that he knew that he had no fucking chance against those two _monsters._ Yes, Harry was a monster too. There was something about that boy that wasn't right, wasn't right. When his master was whole he would throw all of his weight in that direction but for now that… that _thing_ that was a mere shadow of his liege stood zero chance even with Peter's help.

Peter was _such_ an idiot.

He burst into Dumbledore's office and threw himself to the carpet and immediately started to wail. It was the only way he could describe the way he screamed both his guilt and innocence. Tears and snot had poured down his face and was messily wiped away from his face with his robe sleeves.

Peter was a _dead_ idiot.

He tried to weave his words in a way that took responsibility but he made sure to put most of the blame on Sirius Black. The man was a good scapegoat to his panicking mind. He painted a story of Black falling down the path of darkness and actively recruiting him to the darkness. They knew of his sick mother because of Black and they promised to cure her if he joined. He never did anything more than spy on people in his rat form. He's never taken a life (lie) or harmed anyone directly (also a lie) but he knew that the information he gathered was used to harm others.

Or perhaps he wasn't.

Peter blinked away the rest of his tears as he noticed that the old man did not look angry. In fact he looked disappointed and maybe sad. Like a parent learning that their kid is doing drugs.

"Q-Quirinus threatened me all year but now he's after the stone and please help Harry!" Peter clasped his hands in front of himself. He didn't care about that brat, as soon as he walked through the door he was nothing but trouble for Peter. Eleven years. For eleven years he managed not to get tortured or slapped around. As soon as those Potter gremlins came? Tortured. Slapped. Forced to spy again. Threatened. Bullied.

Revealed.

Severus knew he was a Death Eater. He didn't suspect it, he truly knew if his half crazed master was to be believed. Peter would have ignored him, he really would have but then Remus came to him suspicious. Somehow that ugly brat turned his best friend against him. And that ungrateful wolf-bitch! Peter hoped his trembles looked like fear instead of anger.

Remus was the topping of a very large shit cake. Did he not understand all Peter did for him! All the times he protected that stupid beast at school, in life. All the times he stopped Fenrir from ripping out his stupid traitor throat? That was him whimpering to the wolf that that was his best friend. That was him providing little kids to that bloodthirsty monster in exchange to keep Remus's spying a secret. Without him Remus would be nothing more than a fur pelt! And yet the stupid beast had the audacity to approach him with not love but accusations and grabbing hands.

"I've been trying to keep him at bay this entire year, I swear I have. Please believe me Albus, I didn't want to hurt anyone," Peter whimpered and whined.

"Oh my boy. I do believe you but I must take precautions," Albus sighed and pulled out a vail with clear liquid. Peter didn't relax, thank Merlin he didn't relax because if he did he would have smiled.

After all every Death Eater had a false tooth filled with a suicide poison. Peter had replaced his with the antidote to truth serum.

Maybe Peter wasn't so dumb after all.

-/+

TBC

It was time for a feel good! I hope we all feel good after that wholesome bunch! I like Pansy. Maybe I just like all the kids.

We're close enough to the end that I'm brainstorming titles for the next segment. Of course y'all wanna see my ideas! Ahem! So I have:

'Harry, Severus and the Rude Second Year'

'Harry, Severus, A Snake and A Dog'

'Harry, Severus and Too Much Drama'

'Harry, Severus and The Year of Too Much'

'Harry, Severus and The Diary that Talked'

It's gonna be one of these for sure.

Stay safe!

See y'all soon!


	19. Adventure Time: Corrected Edition

I mean this in the best way, when do y'all sleep?

Edit: Okay I'm not gonna post at 4 am anymore. I knew I was forgetting something. I said it like sixteen times!

Warning: my best attempt at body horror

-/+

Harry wasn't expecting puzzles so hard that they couldn't get through them but he did expect it to be a little harder than a poem about werewolves. He didn't expect traps so dangerous that they would instantly kill them but a bunch of vines just seemed normal and insufficient. He did expect a couple of wards to disable—a waste of research if you ask him—or maybe something more difficult than catching a key and opening a door. Though that did get his blood pumping something fierce. He loved flying so he would recommend that one for anyone.

He wouldn't call it disappointing but, well.

To top it off, he was losing his friends.

Ron sacrificed himself in chess.

Pansy offered herself up to the riddle.

And now he was losing Hermione.

"I don't think more than one person can go on," Hermione shrugged, pointing to the bottle that she was sure was the right one. Harry frowned at the potions sat before them. There was only one bottle and once it was touched there was (probably) the final scene but Harry wanted a group adventure with all his friends.

"What if we grab it at the same time?" Harry suggested. Hermione frowned, opened her mouth, closed it then smiled. Harry was so odd to her. Despite going to various public and private schools, Hermione didn't interact with many kids her age. Or kids of any age really. They thought she was too smart or her hair too big or her skin too dark or her teeth were too big. They teased her if they didn't ignore her. She thought Hogwarts was going to be the same—it was the same for a while. Even with Pansy as her friend, there were times they were away from each other and those were times they were both in trouble. Yes, both. Pansy had to think she was stupid to not know their friendship had some sort of backlash against her. She was a muggleborn, not a blind and deaf rock.

But Harry?

"Are you sure you weren't supposed to be a Hufflepuff?" Hermione half laughed. She didn't really believe in the House system, not really but if there was someone who belonged in yellow, it might just be Harry.

Harry was like a beaming sun and he wanted to share his warmth.

"I thought that's where I was gonna go," Harry grinned, "but I'm not all rainbows and friendship. What if there's a hard puzzle after this?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. Harry was not a good liar. Not that he couldn't lie, he just wasn't good at it as far as she could tell. This was totally a rainbow and friendship thing. He was upset each time they lost someone, thinking of ways to get them back before the end but it just didn't work like that. Why was Harry such a nice boy? She had to agree with Pansy, it was absolutely sickening.

"We'll see you again, when this is all over," Hermione promised then she found herself pushing back a yawn, "besides I'm sleepy. All this running around is new to me."

"Fine, fine but if it's something really cool I'm not sharing with you guys," Harry stuck out his tongue childishly. Hermione laughed and went for one of the other bottles, knowing it would cast her somewhere outside of the maze. She gave Harry one last wave.

Harry sighed in the now empty room. Well, it was fun up until here. Let's get to the rest. He grabbed the correct potion and a door revealed itself.

The room was huge, unnecessarily huge to be so empty. As he made his way down the stairs and towards the obvious display, one by one pillars of fire appeared, lighting his way.

It was all very dramatic but also unsettlingly underwhelming.

Maybe they could have the Halloween party here next year? They would make the puzzles less difficult so that they wouldn't be tired once they arrived but this area was perfect! He wondered if this was where Hogwarts kept all their important stuff but he doubted it.

Especially since the display was empty.

Harry did a double take.

Yup, another look and it was still nothing there.

Harry poked himself in the forehead scar.

Did the thief already get it? Was there nothing here to begin with? Well, it would greatly help if he knew what was even supposed to be here. It was enough for a thief to want it but people were known to want the pettiest of trinkets. Or maybe it would help if he knew who wanted it.

Harry plopped down next to the display and let out a disappointed sigh. He'd sit here for a couple more minutes before heading back up. There was a door on the other side of the mirror… mirror?

He felt something stir in his gut, cold and sharp. No, no. No need to stir. It was just a mirror, a coincidence mirror. How did Harry not know if a solitary mirror wasn't supposed to be in every mystery room? Harry scrambled to his feet and rushed to the mirror, praying for what? That it was just a regular, not magical mirror? Or maybe a mirror that showed him what a handsome man he was going to be?

"No," Harry groaned, pressing his hands into his eyes. Of course, it was Severus he saw in the mirror. Of course, of course, of course! He removed his hands and smiled ruefully, relief replacing the cold feeling he had gotten. There Severus was, fiddling with his pretty red rock and his potions. Well, now Harry knew where to find him so he would head over there and spend the rest of the night helping with potions and practicing the snake language.

"Whaaattt dooo you seeee?"

"Jesus!" Harry jerked, nearly slamming his face into the mirror. He didn't expect someone to be down here, his heart nearly jumped out of his chest for Christ's sake. Did no one have creepy room etiquette? He turned around and, upon seeing Professor Quirrell, he let out a sigh, "Called it."

"Hello, dear Harry," the man smiled at him. There was something very wrong with his face, literally. It was bubbling oddly at the right cheek and drooping at the left eye. One eye was becoming red and staring directly at him while the other, brown eye roamed around the room, completely independent. His teeth seemed to be rotting, black and shiny but also sharp and tough looking. He smiled wider the longer Harry stared.

"Stop that! You're ugly and creepy!" Harry snapped, shuddering at the black smile. The man jerked at the words, thankfully no longer showing off those teeth.

"I… it's just temporary," Professor Quirrell reached up, pressing into his face. His face went through several emotions upon feeling his deformities, did the man even know what he looked like? Harry felt bad despite himself, it couldn't be easy being… whatever he was. A monster, a man, a man possessed by a monster, a monster wearing a man's face. It looked so painful being whatever he was, he wondered if there was any way to help the man.

No, Harry! The Gryffindor reminded himself that this, this thing tried to literally murder him! But he just couldn't stop feeling bad for him especially when he was feeling all over his face and showing obvious distress. And talking to himself. No, not to himself. Harry could hear it too. Where was it coming from? Harry looked all around but he couldn't find it.

"Do you hear that? Sounds like time to leave," Harry muttered, edging towards the door. Harry had excellent hearing so he was retreating.

"My master graced me with a great responsibility. An honor. Tell me what you see and I will make your death so painless. Please?" Not a word fumbled. Harry almost laughed. He just realized that the man hadn't stuttered not once since he got in here. He didn't mean to notice it, he didn't mean to laugh out loud either but seriously? Was the man only confident and sure when threatening a little kid? Harry pulled out his Christmas potion and took a swig, making a face as it gave him light little shocks going down.

"You're Voldemort, right? In a mask?" Harry lowered his wand into his grip.

"I carry him, I—." Quirrell reached up and started to undo his turban but that was all Harry needed to hear. He shot off a bolt of lightning that slammed into the unsuspecting monster's chest and sent him flying back up the stairs. The smell of charred flesh filled the room causing Harry to curl his nose in disgust and faced the mirror. If this thing was going to show off where his brother was, well, he just had to destroy it. Harry scrambled back until he reached the display then sent a powerful bolt to the mirror. Somewhere in the back of his mind Harry wondered how much trouble he was going to get into for destroying it. There was no reviving it especially not after he sent a second bolt at the huge chunk that had fallen, clearly displaying his precious twin. Well, it was worth every bit of trouble.

"NOOOOOOOOO!"

And that was his que.

"WHERE! IS! IT!"

Run.

Harry told himself to run, to not look at whatever was talking because that wasn't Quirrell, it couldn't be after taking a bolt to the chest. Severus had warned him that it could kill a grown elephant and make short work of their friends so he had to be careful. Harry swallowed and slowly, slowly turned.

Quirrell was standing but it was wrong. Like strings at the joints of a puppet. And he was facing away, back arching backwards as his turban slowly slipped off. Run. He definitely should run. The man's head slowly raised, revealing the bright, crazed red yes. There was a snapping, cracking and the man was reaching towards him. Harry screamed.

Arms. Did NOT. Go. That. Way!

The man took one crooked, unnatural, jagged step and that was all Harry got to see before he turned on his heel and ran.

His first thought was Severus, it was natural and it was stupid! He wasn't sure how close Severus was to finishing his potion or if it was the exact potion that mad man wanted but he knew that that freak wanted his Severus and that stupid rock. Harry looked back and another scream tore itself from his throat.

He could fly!

Voldemort could FLY!

Harry threw himself to the ground, the monster flying over his head, his nasty, stretched fingers grazing his hair. He scrambled to his feet and backtracked to go down a different hallway. If he wasn't going crazy then he just had to get down this hall, turn down another and then it'll be the stairs. From there he just had to get to the Headmaster's office.

Easy.

Yeah, really easy.

Harry could already see how he would be laughing about this in a couple hours with his brother. He thought maybe it could just be the two of them at first then they'd invite their friends for some hot chocolate and marshmallows.

He fumbled clumsily for his bag, knocking out a dozen other things but successfully yanking out his Invisibility Cloak. His shoes came off next, thrown with the stuff he'd gather for their adventure then he came to a stop, crouching close to the wall.

Calm down.

Calm down.

Harry thought of that hot chocolate and the warmth of the fire. He thought of their friends, all so different from each other (though he insisted Severus had the weirder friends) but still able to coexist with each other. He thought about their finals—this would be his first finals.

This was just his first year.

He couldn't die.

He wouldn't die.

Harry's breathing evened out and his heart quieted to a steady pound just as the monster rounded the corner. Voldemort sat his puppet on the ground, its feet clumsy on the ground then it (because that thing couldn't be a person) sniffed the air. It took big, deep gulps, stumbling clumsily across the stones like some sort of desperate, blind animal.

"I know you're here," was the terrifying hiss it let out.

"I can feel you." It clawed at the air.

"Annoying tick." It kicked the items Harry left.

He had to move, it was feeling along the way and swiping at the air so starting here was quickly becoming not an option. Harry eased as silently as he could, socked feet sliding no louder than a sigh across cold stone.

"Do you really think a mere child can defeat me?"

"To be squashed beneath my boot is all you deserve, it is all you are destined for."

Voldemort let out a frustrated grunt as the feet he controlled tripped on a loose stone, Harry taking the chance to break into a full run. Maybe they were connected, they had to be, because the monster let out a nasty, vibrating roar of anger as soon as he turned the corner.

It wasn't long before there was a strange noise behind him. Loud, fast slapping that sent a shiver of Not Right down his spine.

Don't look.

It was getting closer.

Don't look.

Loud. So loud.

Harry looked and could not hold back his immediate, shrill shriek.

Voldemort had twisted Quirrell's body until it bent completely forward, allowing him to run on all fours like a wild animal, head flopping gracelessly. Quirrell's pained brown eyes looked back at him, bloody mouth moving noiselessly and yet obviously alive.

"STOP THAT!" Harry demanded, his heart once again a deafening roar in his ears.

He wasn't going to die!

Harry pushed himself to run faster.

He turned the next corner, heart sinking at seeing the stairs. They were turning! Faster, he had to make it! Harry jumped and he heard Voldemort do the same but, at the last second, Harry let out another bolt of lightning, this one aimed at the floor right behind him, to propel across the gap.

An angry roar disappeared below him and he let out a howl of pain of his own. His knees and hands crashed into the stairs sending painful jolts up and down his limbs but he was scrambling up the stone, pushing all pain to the side. Despite the angry roar he heard, he needed to keep going. He hadn't forgotten that the thing could fly, after all.

His lungs were burning and practically begging for air by the time he saw salvation, the stone guard to Dumbledore's office. Harry thanked anyone he thought might be listening and doubled his efforts to make it. He could do it. He could—

"INSECT!" A heavy, disgusting body landed half way on his, knocking him onto the ground. His cloak was ripped away and Harry drove the heel of his palm into the monster's parody of a nose, feeling squishy, moist skin sink in followed by the crunch of cartilage. Voldemort reared back in surprise but Harry still couldn't get up so he drove his knee into the thing's side, aiming for a kidney, but it was ineffective. Useless struggles, somehow deafening loud and top quiet until Harry was panting and immobile. Something like blood dropped from the monster's nose but it was black and thick, landing on Harry's face in thick globs.

Disgusting! Harry wanted to say. Get off me! Let me go! Fuck off! You are hideous! Not even human anymore, nasty! Go harass someone your own size!

Please don't kill me.

"Where is it? Where is it?!" The monster hissed, ignorant to Harry's thoughts. "Look at me."

No.

Harry tried to guard his mind. If his mind had doors Harry put everything he could up against it. Couches, lamps, tables—he threw a box of tissue up there just to be safe. But it was all useless, like wet paper for Voldemort to tear through.

Harry screamed.

It hurt!

It hurt!

But still he tried.

-/+

"Seeevvvv I don't wanna study for this stupid test!" Harry threw down his pencil and flopped forward on his desk.

"Good for you. What's the next practice question?" Severus inquired, not even looking up from his book. Harry stuck his tongue out at the boy. Severus was the absolute worst when it came to test time, like an evil tyrant demanding good grades.

No! This isn't it.

Harry sat up straighter.

"Did you hear that Sev?" Harry frowned, looking around.

"Hear what?" They were outside. It was cold, his breath appearing in white clouds and his teeth chattering around the smile stretching his lips. Severus was in the middle of making a snowman, sorting through all the rocks he had for the mouth. Like every year he would settle on the roundest for the eyes and—

Where is it?

"That!" Harry shouted.

"Are you okay, Harry?" They were inside. Severus was standing above him, concern scrunching up his face. Harry opened his mouth to answer but all he could manage was a sad croak, his throat so, so itchy. And it was so hot. Ooh yeah, he got sick after spending all day with Mooki. The girl told him to go away or he'd catch her cold but, alas, he hadn't done that and now he was bed bound.

Well, there was one perk to it. Severus was the sort of worrywart that hovered, flitting around to keep busy but never straying far. He would silently anticipate any need of Harry's and keep constant watch over him.

"Sev," he managed to call out weekly. Like magic the boy was immediately by his side, shoving a straw between his lips and encouraging him to sip. He drank his fill, pulling his head away when Severus insisted he drink more. The redhead made a noise of disapproval but placed the glass on the nightstand where Harry could see his glasses.

That was weird.

Or was it?

Harry groaned loudly. He was so stupid, how did he forget something so important? Harry caught Severus's hand when the boy attempted to touch his forehead.

"Sev, I love you." He said firmly, looking deep into the brown eyes. Severus started but settled just as fast, a smile coming to his lips.

"Harry—."

"No, I just remembered. This isn't real. This is me trying to fight off Voldemort but I have to tell you that I love you and I'm sorry. I said I was going to live forever and I don't think I am. I said I was going to protect you like you protect me and I really, really don't think I can. Please Sev, please run. I don't know what else to do."

"Harry, you are being absolutely ridiculous," Severus laughed, pushing away his grabbing hands. The boy stood and started to tuck him back in, hands expertly wrangling his within the blanket.

"No, Severus! Please listen to me!" Harry pleaded, struggling against the sheets. He could feel it now. He could feel Voldemort cycling through distraction after distracting, crashing and ripping his way through Harry's mind.

Even this far back, it hurt. It hurt worse than anything he's ever felt. Worse than his broken bones. Worse than anything Uncle Vernon had ever done to them. Worse than anything before Severus. It resonated through his system causing his physical body to jerk and thrash. He could almost feel his wrist snapping as he smashed it into the stone ground.

"I am listening and what I hear is ridiculous," Severus snapped. A pale hand shot out to knock knuckles across his forehead. "When have I ever given the impression that I would run to save my own hide? When have I ever encouraged you to sacrifice yourself? Stop being foolish."

Voldemort was getting closer.

"No," Harry shook his head, "I can't do that to you. I just can't."

"This must be a very happy memory for you," Severus suddenly changed the subject, looking around for the first time. They were in their shared room of course. There were all sorts of games and books to distract him on the bed and Severus was idly throwing away any tissues Harry threw carelessly. "It's odd, have I ever told you what an odd boy you are?"

"Your favorite odd boy," Harry shot back automatically. Severus gave him a small smile and brushed his bangs back with a whisper of a touch. It took all his self control to not follow the hand, it wasn't real. This wasn't real.

"You hate being sick or stuck in the bed and yet you are both. Not only that but Aunt Petunia's chicken soup is flat," Severus sneered are the nearby bowl.

A startled guffaw burst out of him. Ooh yeah, he distinctly remembered that particular bowl being the flattest, most bland soup he's ever had. He accused Severus of trying to off him in the actual memory.

"But this is one of your happiest memories," Severus continued. Harry nodded, not sure where the boy was going. Of course this was a good memory. Despite being sick and helpless and in pain, he knew that, with Severus here, everything was going to be okay.

Oh.

"I don't want to…" Harry warbled wetly.

"Good for you. Now let him in."

-/+

This was it.

No more games.

Voldemort could sense it. He had broken the boy, tore through his pathetic barriers like they were nothing because they were nothing. He would give it to the stubborn nuisance, he was persistent. Hundreds upon hundreds of memories had assaulted his senses, over and over showing him the, the disgusting love Harry had for his Severus. It was horrific the way the boy fawned and slobbered over what was his. He refused to acknowledge any acts of recuperation from his Severus, it was just an elaborate act after all.

He stepped through the open doorway and found himself back at the beginning of this game of cat and mouse, right before he appeared.

Harry Potter scrambled towards the Mirror of Edris with a strange expression twisting the boy's face. Slowly, an image came into view, the image that he knew would reveal his precious stone.

What he got was even better.

There his precious Severus stood, brewing his immortality potion, philosopher's stone floating gently by him like the world's most beautiful fairy. Voldemort reached out and touched the mirror. Such a delightful, loyal subject.

"Wait for me," Voldemort commanded the memory. Slowly, he dragged his gaze away from his Severus and to the oh so great 'Chosen One'. He had adopted a stupid, stubborn look, green eyes narrowed despite his tears and chin tilted up. It would almost be cute if those poisonous orbs he vaguely remembered in the patches and wisps of anything other than dark anger and hunger. Nonetheless he smiled and gave the boy a pat on the head.

"You've lost, Harry Potter."

-/+

TBC

And I oop—!

I said I was posting too fast. For those that don't feel like reading alll that alll over again I just forgot to make Harry destroy the mirror. It's why Voldemort has to chase him and I was just like la dee da!

I hope you guys enjoyed (so sorry again). I absolutely adore each of you! Did I already use balm for my soul? Cause literally.

Stay safe!

See y'all soon!


	20. Shake the Room

Let's shake the room!

-/+

The first thing Harry felt when he awakened was an absolutely _splitting_ headache. It felt like someone had taken a hammer and cracked him directly in the middle of his skull then they used the prying part to open his head so that they could punch his brain. Then, just because this person liked Harry so much, they closed him back up and kneed him in the nose.

His pained whimper was answered with a gentle hand brushing through his hair. Ooh thank God, that had to be Severus.

"Go back to sleep," the boy urged, fingers brushing over his eyelids when he tried to crack them open. Harry nodded and started to drift back to sleep, content to snuggle his oddly sitting brother and ignore the way his wrists and ankles refused to separate. Huh? Harry frowned in his half sleep and tried to move his arms and legs once more. Now that was weird.

Harry opened his eyes and everything came rushing back to him.

The adventure.

Quirrell with Voldemort on the back of his head.

The chase.

Harry shot straight up, ignoring the way his splitting headache turned into nausea but he couldn't stop the wave of sick that came up. His brother called his name but Harry was a bit busy, vomiting his guts all over himself and such. When he finished, he blinked open his bleary, teary eyes, squinting in the bright light of morning.

Morning?

What happened?

A damp rag cleaned his face and he watched as his twin waved a hand and vanished most of his vomit. Hand? Harry groaned, pressing his fists into his eyes. Why was Severus using wandless magic? Why was he…?

"The Chosen One has finally risen." Taunt. Harry twisted his head this way and that, where were they? He thought it might be a bathroom if the white shapes was sinks and the darkness were stalls. But he couldn't see people and it didn't make sense for them to be in a bathroom.

"Do not speak to him," Severus growled, moving his body in Harry's line of sight, not that the boy could see anything. He squinted up at the boy, trying to see if he could find an answer to his unasked questions.

"Where are my glasses?" Harry rasped. He felt a cup to his lips instead and gratefully took a gulp, his eyes sliding close. He heard a nasty laugh, taunting again.

"So trustful," it sneered. Severus gave a glare over his shoulder that Harry tried his hardest to follow but it was useless with Severus blocking his view and, seriously, where were his glasses? Harry wasn't stupid so he knew that the voice had to be Voldemort but Harry didn't understand how or why? The last thing he remembered was relief when Voldemort pulled out of his mind.

"Ignorance suits you best. Much better than that unsightly bravado."

"What's going on Severus?" Harry murmured as more water was brought to his lips.

"Your head must be splitting," Severus brushed his hair back again.

"Sev, where are we?" Harry tried again, flexing his fingers. He wanted to move his arms apart. Or maybe his legs. Something.

"Second floor bathroom," Severus waved a hand vaguely and there was the cup again, "drink more. You used magic to protect the majority of your mind but it still took a lot out of you."

"Sev, stop! I'm tied up and I'm confused and that monster is skittering back there like an abomination cockroach!" Harry was hyperventilating. He felt like each draw in was harder and heavier until it was like he wasn't breathing at all. He smacked at the cup when it came back to him but he felt immediate regret. Voldemort let out a roar and suddenly Severus was on top of him, his heart pounding against Harry's forehead and his arms wrapped securely around him. But something was happening to Severus, something that caused him to jerk and tremble over him before collapsing with a quiet whimper.

"He… he… didn't get anything…" Severus panted. He took a deep breath and tried again, slowly straightening. "You're scaring him. At least leave—." A hand landed atop Severus's head and Harry tried to jerk back into the floor. The hand stroked through the red hair almost gently despite how clumsy and _wrong_ it was.

"My clever, slippery snake," it cooed, "once I have my new body you will truly recall what it is like under my boot. I will break each bone for every day you were in this body. I will pull out a tooth for every time you pretended to love this unworthy trash. You will be even more beautiful than you were."

"Sev?" Harry didn't like this. He looked into Severus's eyes and found himself being sucked in.

-/+

Severus hummed a small, off key song with no words under his breath as he busied himself around his makeshift potions lab. Technically he could turn Lupin's lab into his own, God knows the man didn't use it but he didn't trust that rat and wanted to be as far as possible.

"Sevvie-poo, aren't you tired?" Myrtle sighed, floating up from her toilet.

"How did you die?" Severus found himself questioning. She was obviously in a school uniform but there was nothing that indicated how she died.

While Myrtle sputtered, Severus contemplated withdrawing from Hogwarts, taking Harry with him of course. This school seemed so much more trouble than it was worth. They went through the ceremony and got placed in their Houses, what else was special about Hogwarts? All it had was Death Eaters and troubles! Was Myrtle even alive during Death Eaters, who killed her if that was the case?

His necklace warmed a bit and Severus looked through. The small posse seemed to have gotten into a spot of chess trouble. Severus lowered his necklace, Weasley was an academic idiot but he was a chess genius. Out of their ten games Severus lost six. But he was sure that by their next ten he'd make a tie. Hopefully before he and Harry withdrew.

"I don't remember dying, it's like a dream that happened to someone else. But I know it was in here," Myrtle finally spoke, dragging him from his thoughts. "Right by that sink. And I remember a pair of shining, red eyes."

Severus frowned, mind flicking through possible answers to her death. It was possible that she saw the red eyes of a wizard who then hit her with the killing curse but the green of that light was distinct. One didn't just forget that. There were a few creatures, humanoid and not-so, that could paralyze at a single glance but that wasn't an immediate death. Some preserved the body and others slowly suffocated.

"Hot!" Severus hissed, arching away from his necklace. He was almost sure the stone welded itself to his chest as he quickly yanked it up. To say his heart dropped was a complete under exaggeration. It was like having ice poured on him. Completely alone Harry faced Quirrell. He watched the two exchange words before Harry blasted the man with his lightning. The next blast was to that bloody mirror. Severus cursed himself. Of course! Of course this rock was what the monster wanted. No, it was more than that. Severus looked to his two most precious potions. That's what that beast wanted. And him. Voldemort wanted Severus.

"How come you aren't running out of there?" Harry whispered as though Voldemort could hear them.

"It took everything not to," Severus whispered back. Time was different inside the mind but there was no telling what that monster would do should they take too long. "You destroyed the mirror to protect me and soon after I saw you fumbling for your bag. I didn't want to risk your escape." Harry nodded hard, quite proud of that move. And the lightning trick that followed.

Not that any of it worked.

"I tried really hard to escape. That guy is barmy! He's a few ingredients short of a potion," Harry chuckled wetly.

"Absolutely insane," Severus grimaced. He didn't plan to show Harry just how disturbing Voldemort was but that was for the best.

Severus carefully floated all his bubbled potions to the far reaches of the bathroom, completely banishing any that were too volatile to sit for a while then he sat and prayed. It wasn't to any muggle god or to any ancient wizard. He prayed directly to his twin, vowing to establish a mental link with the boy after this. He prayed to Harry that he wouldn't be stupid enough to fight Voldemort alone, that he knew Severus would not want his blood on his hands, that they could figure out something together.

"We have to triple those Occlumency lessons," Harry sighed, already dreading the new lessons.

"So confident we'll live," Severus grumbled.

"I said I was gonna live forever and you're my twin." As if it was that simple, said as if he actually believed it.

But Harry was a terrible liar.

Severus nodded back to the scene, Voldemort shattering the bathroom door into a million shards. The monster floated through the doorway, Harry's lifeless body dangling from his backwards arm.

"I've missed you my most loyal," Voldemort hissed out, words slurred and thick.

"That body is dying and it is dying quickly," Severus swallowed. He hadn't, he saw a glimpse of the monster as the necklace mostly focused on Harry but he hadn't expected _this._ Even if Quirrell was a Death Eater, which Severus wasn't so sure looking at this abomination, he must have been in excruciating pain. It would be a mercy to kill the man now but Severus wasn't offering death.

"Let him go and you can have it," Severus pointed to the stall.

"How are you sure that he lives?" Voldemort smiled a sickening smirk that split his lips and added to the black already covering half. It appeared that Harry had fought back and fought back hard.

"You aren't a fool. You've watched me, you know he is my—!" Severus choked on his words as pain like he's never felt before burst inside of him. He knew it was crucio, his ma gave him the briefest of tastes when he was five but her hatred was nothing compared to this. This was the true power of that curse and it was only the thought of Harry's immediate death should he faint that allowed him to keep consciousness.

"I am everything to you! He is nothing!" Voldemort shook Harry like an angry child shakes a bear, uncaring that the boy's limbs hit the floor each shake. His magic came out of him in wild bursts, crashing into the ceiling and raining dust down onto them.

"I will slit my throat," Severus rasped, producing a blade in a slightly shaky hand. He didn't want to do this, this was the last resort plan but he couldn't stand this any more. He needed to end this and do it quickly. The boy reached carefully into his pocket and sprinkled out red dust, watching with grim satisfaction as red eyes widened. "I disintegrated the stone. My potion is your only salvation but it's not complete. You kill Harry…" Severus pressed the knife deeper, uncaring of the blood welling and spilling on the blade. The crazed wizard seemed frozen at first but soon his disgusting smile was back, sending shivers down his spine.

"You've not changed, Severus, my clever snake. Come back to me, willingly, and not only will I spare Harry Potter tonight, I will leave him until he graduates. After this encounter I've realized he truly is nothing but a child, defenseless and utterly stupid," Voldemort lifted Harry to eye level, sneering into his face. He plucked off the circular glasses and crushed them in his hand then threw them to the ground to stomp on them.

"Not you, your goons or myself will attack Harry?" Severus demanded.

"No harm will come to this head."

-/+

"Severus! No!" Harry shouted, pulling himself forcibly from his brother's mind. That's not what he expected, that's not why he wanted to be alive! Death would be better than giving his twin to the madman! Harry looked around wildly, he would kill himself—pain blossomed across his cheek.

Ooh.

Severus slapped him.

He blinked owlishly at the boy, taking in deep, filling breaths. Heat radiated in his cheek and it throbbed minutely. That helped, it made things clearer, even though he had said nothing Severus had known of his hasty plan, had seen the crazy in his eyes probably.

"I'm sorry," Harry croaked.

"There you are," Severus sighed, lowering his hand. He pressed their foreheads together. They breathed each other's air for a few moments before Severus spoke again. "As long as we are both alive, we can find our way back."

"Filling his head with false hope. Is it cruel or…?" The hand was back, yanking Severus up and away. The boy brought his foot back deliberately, kicking in the back of the monster's knee. As they went down Severus twisted the hand in his hair until there was a crack and the fingers released him. Severus nearly tripped over his feet to be back beside his twin, facing the angered Voldemort.

"I will do anything to save Harry," Severus blurted then he took a deep breath and held up his hands in surrender. He didn't want the monster too angry, the thing was falling apart by the minute so there was no telling just how far would be too far, "I want to spend our last moments as close as possible. There is no trick."

"You make such lovely potions so I will not cut off your fingers. Even with medical attention lost digits are never quite the same. So, I will rip off your toes. Five times," it was like hearing someone talk about the weather. Harry decided that he was glad his glasses had been destroyed. He could just hear the ugly smile on his lips.

Harry was suddenly filled with a strange feeling, a feeling that he recognized from the lighthouse incident, a feeling that slowly stretched taunt in his brain. It hasn't snapped yet but Harry was finally able to identify it. It was killing intent. He wanted to wrap his hands around the monster's throat and set off his lightning. He wanted to rip out that disgusting tongue and shove it through that squishy red eye. He wanted to kill Voldemort and kill him dead.

Severus moved away from him, immediately drawing Harry's attention. He was trying to think around his murderous thoughts and the pounding headache but what could they do? Severus was throwing in something or another in a bubbling cauldron and stirring another one. Why the difference? Why two potions?

"Is anyone looking for us?" Harry murmured when his brother joined him again. Severus glanced to the monster then back to Harry, his expression grim.

"Granger stopped by to check on us but I hexed her," Severus revealed. Harry nodded slowly, understanding. Was that Severuss true plan? Hermione was a smart girl, she would realize that Severus was acting funny and not actually trying to keep her away. That meant that, at any minute, someone could burst through those doors to rescue them. But that didn't sound right, Severus did not look relaxed or confident.

"I cursed Draco's shoes to tie together when you first started to hang," Harry confessed. "I also gave him those bunny ears."

"Harry!" Severus snorted, looking scandalized. He remembered those ears, they had been terribly hard to get off. The shoes he had assumed Draco was just an awfully clumsy boy.

"They took me out the last game because I smacked Haines with my broom. He was bad mouthing you," Harry shrugged. He wasn't sure what kind of siblings wizards had but he wasn't the weird one for taking up for his twin, they were the weird ones for thinking he wouldn't.

"Did you smack him or beat him?" Severus cocked his head just slightly. Harry felt his face heat up. Okay, he might have broken his broom across the boy's back but—a timer went off. The shrill shriek nearly caused Harry to jump out of his skin but instead he instinctively pitched forward, grabbing onto his twin.

"Don't do it! I don't want you to sacrifice yourself. I told you before we got here! You aren't my dad or god or anything! We're the same age, we're brothers. Just—!" Harry pushed the boy to the side and jumped for the cauldrons, attempting to knock one or both over. Severus seemed to expect this though for he was on him before his fingers could even graze the hot metal.

"He's not thinking clearly! Back. Off!" Severus growled, presumably at Voldemort. Freeing one hand Severus managed to wandlessly turn off the fires and float the potions further away. Oh, wandless magic. Duh. Harry concentrated as hard as he could and shot off a small blast of magic, successfully hitting one cauldron. Severus cursed and scrambled off of him, mumbling frantically under his breath. Time stopped for the two cauldrons and Harry shuddered under the heavy magic.

"This spell…" Voldemort muttered, stepping from the shadows. Severus trembled, sweat pouring down his forehead as he guided the cauldron back the proper way.

"I apologize. The potion is complete so magic should not affect it," Severus assured the man.

"I know this spell," Voldemort muttered, frowning as he dragged the body forward. He knew that spell, at least he was sure he knew that spell. The boy was correct when he said that he was falling apart. Feeding this crippled part of his soul was much harder than one would think on a normal day but today wasn't normal. After all, Quirrell's heart had stopped quite some time ago so it was only a matter of time before Voldemort died as well. His mind was a foggy haze, not allowing him to concentrate or even speak correctly though he knew it was clear enough to be understood. He idly watched the red haired Severus pour his elixir. He didn't like that color. It looked much better as an inky black. He accepted his elixir and jerked it to his lips then he paused.

"What's that?" He squinted at the second potion. It looked much like the one in his goblet but the colors were slightly more vibrant and there was a subtle light coming from it.

"It's nothing my lord," Severus moved to block his line of sight. He glared at the boy. Disloyal. Scheming. He lowered the goblet.

"Give this to Harry Potter," he demanded. Severus flinched as though burned then fixed his face before any emotion could appear.

"I will drink it," Severus offered, holding out his hand. Voldemort growled, magic flaring out dangerously. It shattered the bathroom mirrors and ripped the stall doors off the hinges.

"Give. To. Harry. Potter," he grounded out. A bolt of magic smacked close to the boy's feet though he stayed perfectly still until Voldemort reigned it in enough for Severus to take the cup back.

"He's a child, this potion is meant for a fully grown body. If it settles properly, you will only make him immortal and heal—."

"DO IT!" He howled. For the first time Severus looked concerned. He chewed on his bottom lip as he crossed back to his 'brother'. Brother. Brother. Lies. Lies. This was his Snape. His! He would scrub every inch of Potter from Severus's brain. He would make Severus curse the name Potter and cast it aside for his true surname.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Severus suddenly whimpered, drawing Voldemort's attention. The boy had taken away the sticking effect and it seemed as though Potter was bleeding from the eyes, ears and mouth. Harry Potter let out a howl of pain and seized while Severus tried to hold him down, hand firmly on the boy's belly.

Voldemort laughed. He practically howled. Severus, that devious stupid little brat had actually tried to poison him. He thought Voldemort was so crippled by this unending pain, so blinded by his dying soul that he would actually, successfully poison the Dark Lord. Instead he ended up poisoning Voldemort's arch nemesis and did away with their deal. Good, he hadn't truly planned on letting Harry live anyway. He would have overpowered Severus with his new body and ripped that nuisance's limbs off like one would a fly.

Alls well that ends well, he supposed. He turned to the second potion and dipped a hand inside, spilling it everywhere as he raised it to his mouth. It was surprisingly bitter but it sent a pleasant warmth through his system. He looked back to Severus, to verbally taunt the boy perhaps, but froze.

Severus was smiling.

But it wasn't a smile of relief or happiness. It was a vindictive smile of seeing your enemy die. It was a smile that was all teeth and a joy that had no place in a child's heart. It was a smile he saw on Snape's face once before and back then, he remembered it like it was five minutes ago, they had been looking at the emancipated, mutilated shell of his adopted father.

It was beautiful.

"You…!" Voldemort coughed. His throat, it burned. It felt like lava slowly spreading through his system. A different, blunt paint blossomed in his face and he was staring at the ceiling.

"Idiot," Severus sneered, the cauldron that poisoned him dangling from his fingers. The boy had hit him with it. Hit him. With the cauldron. "No one owns me. Now die peacefully."

Ooh.

Ooh!

He was dying.

Huh.

Even if he managed to survive the poison, this body was too dead. Not only that but, now that he thought about it, didn't Severus hex that mudblood? That was probably a signal to her, Dumbledore would probably be on his way. That old fart.

Voldemort blinked up at the boy, eyes following as he located his stolen wand and slipped it back up his own sleeve. The boy, the traitorous child gave him a small smack to his forehead before he pulled away and began to stroll back to his enemy.

It was phropetised that Harry Potter would be the one to kill him.

But here he lay.

Dying.

From Severus Pot—oh.

He truly wasn't Severus Snape, was he?

Well.

If Voldemort was going to die, why not take the traitor with him?

It was easy to let go of his magic. Actually, it was a great relief. He watched it idly as it destroyed the bathroom, blasts shattering rock and breaking the rest of the glass. Pipes came bursting from the walls, twisting and grinding against his magic. Water poured into the room. Voldemort grunted and guided magic to pull his body upright, just to his borrowed feet. He needed to see the traitor die before he was at peace.

"Die… with… me," Voldemort forced out, his voice muddled and hardly audible to his own ears. Severus waved his wand and desperately tried to shield himself but wild magic was an odd thing. So much more powerful. It broke through the pathetic shield and slapped the boy directly in the chest, sending him flying through the air.

"Hey!" Voldemort turned his head and green eyes shining with pure rage filled his vision. He thought to say something but what was there to say? He should thank the boy for shoving his thumbs through his eye sockets, it was almost a relief when he felt himself melt from the pure hatred the boy poured into him.

It didn't really matter.

He would be back.

-/+

Harry doubled over, stomach bile burning his throat. He tried to fight back tremors but whatever he had done was powerful, too powerful for his body. He glanced back at the ashes and kicked water on them, nearly falling for his efforts.

"Severus… what was that spell?" Harry coughed, iron still filling his taste buds. He hadn't felt pain like that, ever. It was strong enough to make him black out but it wasn't the potion—the potion was actually cold and spread ice throughout him—it was a spell. Severus had pressed his hand deep into his stomach and chanted until Harry was screaming and nearly crying but he didn't beg for the boy to stop. He knew it would be okay. But Lord, it hurt.

"Har… ry…"

"Sev?" Harry stumbled forward. He squinted, trying to see through all the chaos and wreckage.

"Pl… ease."

"Severus!" Harry rushed towards the collapsed stalls. He shivered, fingers slipping across the metal almost uselessly. He gritted his teeth and, finally, threw the slab to the side. Next came the rocks, tossed and flung far away until he reached him. Until he reached Severus. He stared, wide eyed and open mouthed.

No, no, no!

A long, metal pipe stuck out of his gut.

"Harry…" Severus mumbled, pale hand leaving his wound to reach for him. Harry stumbled forward then flinched back. That. He needed to get help for that. Pansy! He needed to get Pansy. He turned, ready to dash out the bathroom and to the girl.

"Please… don't leave me… alone. I don't… want to die… alone."

Harry fell to his knees immediately, crawling towards the boy. This wasn't supposed to happen. Severus wasn't supposed to die. Harry gathered the boy into his arms, hugging him close.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I love you. I love you so much. Please don't die. I'm sorry Sev!" Harry sobbed. He looked desperately around the room, wishing he had some way to summon help without leaving the boy. He knew help was coming eventually but now… now.

The potion.

Harry whipped his head around, eyes straining to see the cauldron. There it was, overturned, but that didn't mean… Harry looked down to his brother. The boy was looking up at him, a small smile on his trembling lips. He had to try. Carefully he lowered the other boy, painfully ignoring the boy's whimpers, and dashed to the cauldron.

There was still some left in it!

"It's going to be okay." Harry carried back the immortality potion.

It's going to be okay.

He lifted Severus's head and carefully poured the potion into the boy's mouth. He gripped the metal pipe in a firm grip, hushing the boy's cries with a kiss pressed to his wet forehead. Then he yanked it out, throwing the offensive metal as far as he could.

It's going to be okay.

He pulled Severus completely into his lap, holding him close and tight. The boy groaned and gasped as the potion worked through his system, crying when Harry knocked into his gaping wound. Harry didn't know what the potion would do to him, like Severus wasn't sure what it would do to Harry but he trusted his twin, trusted his potion.

"It's going to be okay," Harry promised.

-/+

TBC

I don't know why I'm crying in the club, I'm the one who wrote it but still. My lil baby.

Stay safe y'all!

See you next time (wiggle)


	21. Twins 1, Dumbles 0

-/+

Severus sighed into the air, watching the white clouds leave his lips with little interest. He was sitting in a forest, trees tall and stretching into the strange sky. It wasn't cold, it wasn't hot. It wasn't night and it wasn't morning. It just was. A soft fog layered the ground and now Severus understood the feeling Harry talked about. This absolute feeling of death, of knowing that he didn't belong here. But Severus wasn't dead… not yet, he was sure.

The last he remembered was that he tricked Voldemort. It was stupid, so stupid to trick him but it worked as well as he thought it would. Severus flinched, well, he hadn't expected the pipe to the gut. That hurt. He slowly reached down and pressed into his side. There was nothing for him to touch, which simply confirmed the boy's assumptions. Severus sighed again. This wasn't the train station that Harry described but he had a feeling that this was the same in-between his brother had entered.

"I suppose red hair is just as good as any color."

Severus swallowed hard. He hadn't expected that. He thought Lily or James would appear, fighting each other to meet the son they thought had died. But he knew the voice behind him, would never forget that voice. It was a voice he missed late at night when he felt unbearably lonely and confused, a voice he yearned to guide him in the right direction, a voice he was absolutely sure he would never hear again.

"Ma," Severus croaked wetly. He turned slowly, coming up into a half crouch but he froze, lowering himself back down to the foggy ground. She was far off, too far for him to see her face, too far to really see anything beyond her striking sky blue hair. It flowed down her shoulders, shifting in the wind like a cloak. "Ma?"

"I'm sorry Tyke, your pa wanted to be here—I told him to come," his ma grumbled, finally walking towards him. He ran forward, seeming to just take two steps before tackling the woman to the ground, arms wrapped securely around her. She hesitated but soon her arms were around him too, squeezing him tightly. He wasn't offended, he wasn't surprised. His ma wasn't very affectionate, she didn't really see the purpose of hugs but she loved him, she loved him with all her heart and she proved it in her actions. She threw herself in front of curses, fought tooth and nail to protect him. She trained him, gave him the power to fight for himself.

She was his ma.

"Tell me you and pa's real names. Please ma," Severus blurted the first thing that came to his mind. From what Harry told him, they wouldn't have much time and the dead couldn't really tell anything too revealing but names. Names were simple.

"Tyke…" his ma reached up and brushed a lock of hair behind his ear. "How much time has passed? You are so much younger than I expected."

"Ma, there's no time for that. I don't care that I'm adopted, I don't care what happened or how you got me from the Potters—I don't care about any of that! Just tell me your name. What's your name? I can find you," Severus pleaded. The woman pushed him back, full lips thinning into a hard line and brown eyes turning to stone.

"Cease your digging, it is not—." Severus slapped his ma's hand, uncaring of her appalled expression as he glued himself back to her front, holding her tight. He didn't care if she thought it was dangerous, if she thought he couldn't handle whatever her and pa really were, he didn't care about any of that! He wanted, no he needed to know.

"I will NOT stop looking for you. I won't stop until I make sure whoever took you from me is dead too. Whoever made my childhood and your and pa's life so hard will pay! They took everything from me!"

"Tyke…" his ma crushed him in her arms, so tight he actually gasped for air and could almost feel her warmth. It took him a second too long to realize the shudders going through her body were tears, wet and cold atop his head. His ma didn't cry. She never cried and her voice certainly didn't break the way it was now.

"If you are looking for the person who ruined your life, who brought you and your pa nothing but strife then you don't have to look further than right in front of you." She squeezed him tighter when he tried to break away. "My life, the life I forced onto you and your pa, was my doing. It is my fault you didn't have a proper childhood, a proper name. It is my fault that your pa had a hard life and an unnatural death." She finally allowed him to pull away enough to look into his eyes. Her face was now splotchy red, her nose dripping and her eyes still pouring her tears. She smiled, dragging her fingers over his face, taking in every curve and dip. "You have a new identity, a new family and probably friends—real friends, Tyke. You look so _healthy_. I was never able to keep you so safe that you _glow._ " Here his ma scoffed and rubbed at her eyes with one hand. "Your pa thought he would be a blubbering mess so he sent me. Ooh the irony."

"Ma, please…" Severus grasped the other hand cupping his cheek.

"Severus Potter…" she cocked her head as though she heard his name in the soundless breeze. She tested the name on her tongue again and nodded in approval. "Severus Potter is a proper name. Make it the last one you have, live your new life to the fullest."

"No, don't say that. Don't..." Severus looked down and saw that his hand was slowly becoming transparent. He was leaving and he hadn't gotten a single answer! Severus thought quickly, there had to be something that his ma would answer.

"Please, just your first name. I can't find you from that, just tell me your birth name." Severus's eyes shot back up to her face. Even now her features shifted subtly, never quite settling in a way that he could describe her accurately. She had wiped her face clean but her eyes were still rimmed red, face still splotchy. Then he saw it. He saw hesitation appear on her face, her teeth coming forward to bite on her lip and she pulled away, uncertain. She never hesitated, his ma. Every action of hers was with purpose and determination, even when doing things that pained her.

He knew his ma took no joy painfully rearranging his face, training him to recognize and counteract hexes, or teaching him any of the skills that pulled him further and further away from being a normal child. He knew she felt guilt about it but he also saw this as a chance. A chance to finally get an answer.

He grabbed her hands and, again, begged for her first name.

-/+

"Rhamnusia."

Severus blinked up into bright green eyes behind red, square glasses much too close. Harry, of course. He reached up and pulled the boy into a hug, uncaring of how much heavier Harry was than him.

"Rhamnusia?" Harry cocked his head, tongue feeling out the strange name, mouth muffled against Severus's hospital gown. Of course they were in the hospital wing, Severus wondered how much time had passed. He doubted it was more than a few hours, the sun was just setting over the horizon.

"It's my ma's true name," Severus sighed into his hair.

"That's a weird one," Harry yawned, getting comfortable. Severus rolled his eyes fondly, it was no more strange than any other wizard name.

"You owe me ten galleons." He reminded the boy.

"Oi! How—did you _ask_ him what he was?" Harry tried not to laugh, it was not funny especially after they both nearly died _several_ times but he couldn't stop his surprised cackle even with his hands. Severus gave him a secret smile and shrugged. He hadn't shown Harry all of his memories (actually Harry pulled out of his mind before he could show him everything that he deemed important) but, yes, he had talked to the thing.

He couldn't take the odd, rattling way the possessed man breathed. "We have to see Dumbledore after this."

Severus rolled his eyes, of course they had to see Dumbledore. That old man was a useless sack of wrinkling flesh and Severus could not wait to see the look on the old man's face when he finally let him know that Harry and himself would _not_ be attending Hogwarts next year. To him, Hogwarts was a beacon attracting danger left and right so it would make sense to be extra vigilant. Instead of doing that, the old coot spent the year looking the other way and employing Death Eaters and the Actual Dark Lord. He owed Dumbledore a kick between the legs for the pipe to the gut.

"There's a small school in Ireland called O'Donnell School for Gifted Wizards," Harry stifled another yawn, "we'll have to pass a rigorous entrance exam though." Severus jerked, blinking down at the boy. "My House is Gryffindor but I would've done well in Hufflepuff. I played Quidditch and won all the games I played. I'll miss everyone but I managed to mail Mooki every week so what's a few more letters?"

"Thank you, Harry," Severus squeezed his twin tight. How did he land such an amazing twin?

Snap!

Severus pushed Harry away from him, at the same time his hand dove under his pillow to snatch his wand and he was leveling it at a woman. She had blond curls piled neatly atop her head, two muggle pencils pushed through the base. Red, cat eyed glasses sat atop her nose, golden chains dropping from the arms. Her red painted lips were stretched in a most devious grin, blue eyes lit like a cat with a canary. Her outfit was most impractical, a red, skin tight dress, a red blazer that flared at her hips and equally red high heels. Severus was vaguely reminded of the devil costume Harry had attempted to put him in one Halloween.

"The Boy Who Lived and the Lost Twin. Ooh this is the story of the century. You know I've been trying to get close to you two all year?" The woman click clacked closer. The camera flying besides her took another picture. Severus prepared to hex her into next week. Naturally, Harry stopped him.

"Hey, what's your problem?" Harry demanded, picking himself up off the floor. He wagged a tan finger at the strange blond woman, not quite sure who she was but she was being very rude and deserved a scolding, "Don't take pictures of people who aren't ready! We look like a mess right now and we are very adorable. At least let us get dressed—and introduce yourself!"

"Oh my, so this is the kind, protective Harry Potter I've heard so much about," the woman cooed at him. She held out a delicate hand to him, giving him a tiny shake. A glance towards Severus had her simply nodding to the redhead, sure that she wouldn't get her hand back. "I am Rita Skeeter. I am a top reporter for the Daily Prophet."

"You wrote that bit about the witch who was a bridesmaid to thirty different friends," Severus rolled his eyes. Top reporter his arse.

"Yes, good memory kid," Rita still smiled but her words were gritted and forced. "We all start somewhere, kid."

"You want to report on our clothes?" Harry tilted his head.

"No! I am a _top_ reporter, that puff piece does not represent my work," Rita sniffed, highly offended.

"Does taking photos of my half naked brother represent your work?" Harry crossed his arms and tapped his foot, his aura just screaming disapproval.

There were plenty of times when Rita was taken aback. The time when she was a little girl and her mother thought to put her in Quidditch when she specifically asked to learn how to sew. The time her ex-fiancé thought he could chip away at her inheritance without her noticing. Ooh and then last week when her boss actually _laughed in her face_ when she proposed she could get an exclusive with the Chosen One and this 'twin'. But now she was being politely chewed out by an eleven year old.

"So this is the Chosen One. You're a pretty impressive kid, kid," Rita snapped her fingers, a black puff of smoke rising from her camera signified that the photos had been destroyed. She pulled one of the pencils from her hair, giggling at Harry's surprise that it was actually her wand. With a wave she transfigured a nearby bed into a large, comfy chair, plopping down onto it. "They don't take me seriously where I work." Harry gave a pointed look to her eccentric outfit, her insane heels and her heavy makeup. This drew another giggle from the woman. "Yes, I know a part of it is my dress but I like what I like, us Gryffindors are a stubborn bunch after all. But more than my clothes, it's what is under them."

"Under…?" Harry squinted in confusion.

"She's a woman," Severus explained, wand put away. Though he had taunted the woman for her 'puff piece' he did remember her article arguing the merits of having a House system such as Hogwarts. It was actually quite the good read, not that he would tell her.

"What do the muggles say? Bingpot?" Rita sounded out the word.

"Jackpot or bingo. I think bingo fits better," Harry answered.

"Bingo! To both. Now, listen," Rita reached up for her second, actual muggle pencil which she began to nibble lightly on. Normally she would be pulling out a cigarette to smoke but she was seriously trying to quit. It was starting to stink up her apartment and, subsequently, her clothes. "The school year is coming to a close so there's going to be rabid animals biting at one or both of you—."

"Nope, that's not good enough," Harry stopped her. He couldn't read Severus's mind but he knew the boy would sooner hex reporters than talk to them. "We just finished beating up the Dark Lord, you think a couple of reporters matter to us? Sev and I will give you, and only you, an interview—we reserve the right to not answer anything too personal—and you have to do us a favor of equal value."

"Ooh ho?" Rita quirked an eyebrow, her sharp ears not missing the fact that the boy mentioned beating the Dark Lord (who should be very dead), "Is our little Harry actually a snake in lion's clothing?"

"Actually I could've gone to Hufflepuff," Harry grinned with all of his teeth. He held out his hand, "we got a deal?"

Rita didn't even hesitate before taking the little hand. She was young, ambitious and any reporter worth their snuff would know a good deal when they saw one.

"Meet us in the library, we have business to take care of first," Severus finally spoke. He shooed the woman away when she started to linger and hesitate though he guessed she wasn't exactly scared to be caught. Her animagus was something small, so small that Severus hadn't sensed the magic so she could be anywhere in the castle.

Great, he would have to learn a spell that expelled animagi and apply it to his important spaces. Not here, of course. Soon, they would go to another school.

-/+

Albus Dumbledore could not see the future, he was not omnipotent nor did he have some all seeing eye that survilled the entire world. Without great force and pain, he could not read anyone's minds either. All of this to say that Dumbledore did not see a lot of this coming and he, deep down (and quite unfairly he could admit), placed the blame in the lap of Severus Snape.

He had already known of Severus's past of blood and torture, had contingency plans should the man ever be less than absolutely loyal to the Light. He also saw the boy grow into the man he was, knew his buttons and ticks. He could tell at a single glance exactly what was on Snape's mind. But, without him, he was forced to hire Remus and Peter. He had great joy and pride in those two but they were unpredictable. Albus hated unpredictable.

Unpredictable meant that Peter had a Dark Mark, mind it was a Dark Mark forced upon him but it was still the Mark. For eleven years the man taught his students, interacted with the children and all the while he was a servant to young Tom. Albus did not not trust his words of partial innocence but Severus reported to him often enough to know that no one had clean hands in that organization. It was a hard decision to keep the sobbing man but he needed a new spy and Peter had a rather useful animagus… Albus felt a headache coming on.

Unpredictable was Quirinus Quirrell being possessed by young Tom's exposed soul. Albus wanted to hazard a guess that, in trying to kill Harry, his spell rebounded and attempted to destroy him as he had Harry but hadn't quite managed. It would have been highly unstable and probably little more than the deranged, angry psyche rather than a full piece of the man. But that was a guess, a strange phenomenon he couldn't quite put his finger on. Albus sighed, he wasn't one to believe himself perfect but he felt quite blind not seeing the signs. The dead unicorns, the odd way the man behaved, the stink of fear that wafted off the nervous, pale thing. But it was too late now. He was nothing more than ashes going down the drain.

Which brought him to the two most unpredictable variables that Albus truly blamed Snape for. Severus and Harry Potter. Harry, Harry was a surprise that still caused Albus's heart to stutter. The boy was…loyal. He loved Severus fiercely, impossibly unconditionally. He hadn't expected their love to be fake but was four years enough to garner such loyalty, to twist such a friendly boy into something dangerous? The boy used _voodoo_ against him. Voodoo! The most dangerous of magics created and used by absolute savages. Simply for binding Severus. Not only that but the boy, while cursing him, had stolen from him. The plain audacity that resided in Harry was great, probably from being spoiled by the Dursley's and encouraged by Severus.

Speaking of Severus… the boy was different. Much more different than the Severus he knew. He was still vicious and fierce but now he had… should he say friends? True friends that covered for him, that helped him, that liked him. True friends that he liked back. He didn't care about recognition, could care less about his grades though his high scores still spoke of great brilliance and wonderful drive.

Albus pinched the bridge of his nose. He didn't quite regret putting Severus with Harry, the convenience was too perfect and the two made a horrifyingly great team, but he didn't know this Severus, couldn't predict his movements. How was he to know that a different environment would create an essentially different person? He wasn't an insecure, angry boy much too deep in the dark arts anymore. This Severus was confident, loved and still into magic that didn't sit well in anyone's stomach.

Had Albus noticed these differences sooner (though how was he to know within the first five minutes of seeing them) he wouldn't have forced them into different Houses, he wouldn't have tried to wedge them apart so callously and he definitely wouldn't have tried to spin lies on the dead parents Severus knew for the first seven years of his life. The only saving grace in his bumbles was that this ma and pa that raised Snape were not only long gone (thus causing Severus to search within the wrong years) but they were completely wiped from existence. This was, of course, not done by Albus.

Because he wasn't all powerful. He was magically powerful and the genius of his time but he wasn't all powerful nor could he see the future.

Albus would have to move more carefully these upcoming years.

"We're not coming back next year," Severus announced as though reading his mind. Albus simply nodded, pretending that he wasn't surprised. He opened his mouth to inquire but was cut off again by the red haired boy, "No, you may not know which school we will attend instead and yes our muggles will agree."

"Yeah, no offense, but we don't want Voldemort following us there," Harry shrugged apologetically.

Insolent whelps. Both of them. Harry used that name so brazenly, so fearlessly. Would it have been heartless to have him grow in a harsher environment? A nicer family gave him this Severus… Albus shook his head, it was too late for that. At this age their personalities were pretty much set and trauma would just break either of them.

"Is that all? We've told you what happened. We should be studying for our upcoming finals," Severus stood, stretching his arms above his head.

"Please, Mr. Potter, sit back down and reconsider any thoughts of leaving," Albus urged calmly.

"I apologize," Severus gave him a bright smile, "I seemed to have misled you. I wasn't asking if we could leave. I was telling you."

"Severus!" Harry snorted into his Invisibility Cloak, obviously amused by such rude behavior.

"I—we almost died. Over this stupid rock," Severus produced the red, pretty rock, now ugly in Severus's eyes. He tossed it onto the desk, "next time make sure your students can't stumble upon the key to immortality."

Oh yes, Severus had tricked the possessed man to drink an incorrectly brewed immortality brew that actually turned him into dust. Albus glanced at Harry, not quite doubting the story but there was more to it. He was sure. Like how were they both without any sort of injury? There were several signs of violence and blood and not just in the second floor bathroom. How his heart nearly jumped out his throat upon seeing the word 'RUN' burned into the ground just outside his office. While he knew it was necessary for the boy to fight, he wished him no personal harm, none of this was personal.

"I must apologize for several things but you boys are not without fault. While you found the philosopher's stone , you did not report it and you essentially stole it. Furthermore you spied and lied rather than bringing any concerns for any professors. You both created an adventure with dangerous consequences," Albus lectured.

"Bet no other school would have such easy games," Harry muttered.

"Or a stone of such value." Severus added, giving another stretch and starting towards the door.

"Or possessed employees." Harry stood as well, throwing an arm over thin shoulders.

"Or a Death Eater rat—oh did you think we were so dense?" Severus threw a nasty glare at him over his shoulder. Harry gave hima little nudge to face forward again, giving his own apologetic smile then the two were gone. Albus was almost confused as to what just happened. He looked around his office, was he or was he not the Headmaster?

Albus sighed. It looked like he had more work to do.

-/+

"Harry! Severus!" Hermione's voice and a group of running feet was all Harry heard before he was on the ground and looking up at an absolutely furious Hermione Jean Granger.

He gave her a brilliant smile. Maybe she just looked mad.

"Hey Herm—oi!" Harry raised his arms as the girl suddenly rained open handed slaps upon his person. "Okay, I'm sor—I'm—ow! I'm—Hermi—Ow!" Harry gave up on talking and tried to just protect himself but Hermione was determined to beat him up. And no one wanted to help him apparently so he could do nothing more than accept her frustrations. It took the girl much longer to tire out than he thought.

"I think you might've beaten some sense back into him," he heard Pansy comment once Hermione was doing little more than sitting on his stomach, very red in the face and still very angry. She gave him a weak slap across the forehead when he revealed his face.

"I didn't mean to make anyone worry," Harry smiled, this time much more apologetic. Hermione huffed, accepting Pansy's hand to her feet. Ron reached down and pulled him up as well, throwing a friendly arm over his shoulder but Harry turned it into a hug. He hadn't even thought about how their friends felt about their near death experiences. He looked over Ron's shoulder to see Severus being assaulted in his own right.

"Ero così preoccupato per te! My heart! Please, think of my heart," Blaise clucked like a worried hen as though he hadn't first encouraged Severus to take on any challenger that came his way. He supposed the Slytherin didn't mean the supposedly dead Voldemort.

"Where is the damage?" Draco practically demanded, grey eyes sharp and searching.

"Are you okay out of bed so soon?" Neville worried his bottom lip, flitting around the boy. His eyes gobbled up any part he could see, following Draco and Blaise as the two poked and prodded him, lifting his arm and moving him this way and that. Severus threw him a look that spoke of his suffering but this was the punishment he deserved, that they both deserved, for worrying their friends.

"Severus is going to murder those boys," Pansy noted, tossing her long, dark hair over her shoulder. The motion looked much better and more natural now.

"Oh, you used Severus's gift!" Harry chirped.

"It would be rude to not use it at least once. I may have to cut it over the summer," the girl fiddled with her long strands. Hermione made a noise of disapproval but said nothing, probably having said her opinion several different times. Harry shook his head, his mind not quite wrapping around why she couldn't keep her hair long but that was a different matter for a different day.

"Come on, we've got an interview in the library."

-/+

TBC

Okay, one more chapter to tie this off.

What's a good giant snake name? My first thought was Lisa and that's just… that's sad.

Stay safe y'all!

See y'all soon


	22. Mares

Of course it occurred to Albus to simply give the boy away to one of the many orphanages in the world. He could have placed Severus in a little room in the castle, surrounded by books and an enchanted view, maybe even allow his time to brew whenever he became interested. He could have killed the boy, erased him from existence like one would do an insignificant ant. There were _dozens_ of plans that had been created only to be thrown to the side immediately regarding one de-aged Severus Snape.

Only now, standing in the muggle home of Petunia and Vernon Dursley, in the middle of the night a week before school would come to a close, did he really confirm that he had chosen the best path possible.

Severus had created actual Mares. Strong, healthy ones that completely took Albus by complete surprise. Twice, twice now the boy took him by surprise with an attack that actually landed. Ooh and what an attack Mares were.

To muggles, and even a few faint hearted wizards, the presence of such terrifying creatures would appall them, have them dialing the Ministry up to have the boy carted off—to prison or a mental ward was up in the air. But not Albus. Albus, as he knocked aside the demonic, screeching visage of his deceased sister, practically laughed. He was, without shame, _impressed._ Oh, it was almost lovely, this craftsmanship. He rounded another corner in the dark, dank hall. He wasn't in an actual dank hall, no it was the Mares. Large, black horses made of grains of the blackest sands. Their eyes were red as rubies and their breath left their nostrils in huge, billowing grey smoke clouds.

Typically it would require copious amounts of magic from a small group of wizards but Albus proposed that the boy had sent them! By owl! Probably over the course of several weeks he would have had to build and carefully weave his magic and then the actual curse would have to be set on a schedule to activate. It was all very complicated and Albus was almost giddy at such clever ruthlessness. It was purely his obsession with magic, of course. He loved any show of true talent and this was true talent.

Deep in his heart, in the spot that still recognized horror, he was appalled that Severus would even implement the creatures or have the knowledge to do it.

Some things just didn't change, it seemed.

"Please, I'm sorry uncle!"

Albus pulled himself from his thoughts, knocking away his sister once again. These weren't the strongest Mares he's ever seen, of course they weren't. Had they been Albus would be crumbled in fear, unable to move or even be aware that he should be able to move. The Mares managed to trap him in their curse but were not able to overcome his mind. But Severus was just a boy, so young. He had time to build himself into something fiercer.

"I didn't take any!"

Finally, Albus found what he was looking for and what an odd scene it was. Petunia laid curled on the floor, arms tucked over her head. A large man Albus recognized as a distorted adult Harry towered above her. Really, how odd was this? Mares were creatures that trapped their victims in never ending loops of worst fears, horrible insecurities and any source of guilt or sadness. Truly any negative emotion that typically based itself in the victim's life.

"You ungrateful little brat! Into your room!" Adult Harry bellowed at her. Petunia scrambled to her feet, moving slow—too slow. Another large man came out but this one was Severus, stretched impossibly tall and thin. He was silent but his fury was swift, a pan heavy and true in his hand went soaring through the air and cracked the woman across the skull. Blood splattered across the floors and wall.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," the woman gurgled, hands shaking as they attempted to close her head wound.

"Go turn up the telly while I teach this brat a lesson," Severus finally spoke, his voice cold and calculated. Harry gave a sadistic grin before he left, waving sarcastically over his shoulder.

Was this…?

The woman couldn't possibly… no, she had to be scared of Severus and his power. This couldn't possibly be a scene of guilt, something that she had visited upon those boys and now had it coming back to her. But the muggle device was turned on and so loud that it echoed in Albus's ears. Then Severus began to beat the woman, a leather belt, a cord of some kind, a thin branch—anything was used to beat her but all he could hear was laughter, loud and joyous and odd like it was the same laughter over and over.

Albus turned away. There was nothing he could do for her at the moment. The muggle device was far too loud and her own screams and pain wouldn't allow her to hear him. So he continued down the dark hall, truly he would describe it as a bridge between their dreams. He found Vernon fairly quickly, proximity in their bodies making him much closer.

Again, he was greeted by a strange sight.

The man was curled under a faucet, tongue desperately stretching out to catch even the smallest drip of water. Even from this angle Albus could tell his lips were cracked and dry, bleeding from how dehydrated he was. His body was made thin, so thin each of his knobby vertebrae was on display, evidence pointing to weeks without proper food. He was clothed in nothing but stained, dirty underwear. As Albus took a step forward he found himself slapping a hand over his face. Merlin! The room reeked of human waste, of unwashed flesh, of pus and infection.

"What have you done?" Albus sighed, closing his eyes hard. He wasn't sure if he was talking to the emaciated man or himself. He remembered some years ago there had been an Incident, one he quickly cleaned before anyone caught wind of it. He remembered Kingsley being strongly affected by the man's thoughts, babbling how he was a monster who didn't see his nephews as humans. But he had simply assumed that the man simply fantasized about harming the boys, perhaps occasionally slapping them while showering them with gifts as many purebloods did to their children.

But no, this was much, much worse than his assumption. Another, plain reason why Severus didn't trust him, why he resented him so strongly.

Well, it was too late for regret. He stomped up to Vernon Dursley and grabbed the man by his bone thin shoulders. "Wake up! This is a dream!"

"No!" Vernon shrieked, surprisingly strong for a near skeleton. He knocked Albus's hands away and scrambled into the other corner, hands and knees slipping through the excrement, "I won't be tricked again!"

"I—."

"You say it's a dream and you say I can leave and you say my punishment is over and you lie! You're a liar, Boy!" Vernon pointed a shaky, dirty finger at him. Albus sighed once again.

He sure had his work cut out for him.

-/+

Petunia sat at her kitchen table, a warm cup of hot chocolate between her hands. The old man had tipped half the contents down her throat already, insisting that it would make her feel better.

It did not.

Like a movie on loop her nightmares played over and over behind her open eyes. She couldn't stop it or the fresh tears that poured down her face. Over and over. Being verbally abused like Harry. Being beaten like Severus. Lily rising from the grave, her corpse half rotted and covered in maggots, screaming at her for hurting her children. Dragging her below the dirt, her nails finding no purchase and her mouth filling with earth. Her eyes, her nose, her lungs. Everything filled with dirt. Their mother, Rose, sitting in that big, stupid rocking chair, looking down her nose at her as she complained, hemmed, hawed, sneered. Picking her apart until she was completely bare then bringing her sister in to praise.

"Mrs. Dursley, I cannot imagine what you have gone through."

Petunia flinched at the soft voice, heart suddenly pounding in her chest. With her hands shaking almost too hard she took another sip of her hot chocolate.

"I… have to call Dudley," Petunia pressed her lips together and gulped down another mouthful of chocolate. She was sure it should have been stone cold by now and maybe she shouldn't still have more chocolate to drink but that's what magic did, she supposed. That and ruined her life from beginning to end.

She needed to call Dudley.

"Your son?" Albus looked around as though it just occurred to him that there was a third person in the home. Petunia nodded firmly at the old man. She wouldn't be grateful to that monster but she would acknowledge that he did warn her to send Dudley away until summer vacation. She shouldn't have opened his letter, shouldn't have walked into such an obvious trap. How could she be so stupid? Severus had warned—he _warned_ her what he would do. He stated plainly that he would retaliate for poisoning him and she hadn't listened.

Thank God she got Dudley out on time.

"I have to call him and have him come home," Petunia explained.

"He is not welcome back to my home," a new voice joined them. Petunia nearly broke her hip as she jumped to her feet, eyes immediately finding her husband. She opened her mouth, an apology already halfway forming but Vernon wasn't done speaking. Leaned against the wall, he looked so old, so tired but there was a stubborn set to his jaw and his hand was firm on the rail. "That freak cannot come back here. I absolutely forbid it. Harry can come back but that other one? He's a goddamn animal and needs to be put down."

"He's an animal you cornered, I'm afraid," Albus gave a half shrug, dismissing the words. "I viewed what your Mares crafted. Starvation, dehydration, beatings, false promises… you have quite the gall, Mr. Dursley." Albus frowned. Now that he thought on it, that meant that that burst of violence from Severus was not an overreaction to a single event. Sweet Merlin, how could he be this blind? He thought Harry and Severus would be spoiled in this muggle home. Albus chuckled, he truly was becoming foolish in his old age. "I never quite believe anyone is truly stupid but I do believe I have been corrected."

"I have never laid a finger on—."

Liar.

Albus waved his hand and a pulse of magic slammed into the fat man's chest. Despite his dreams, Mares preserved the body perfectly so he was still a large man. If he didn't know better the headmaster might even say he was twice as large than the last time Albus saw him.

"Do not insult those more intelligent," Albus warned calmly. He was angry, besides himself in anger. The fat man and his cowardly wife almost murdered both the destined savior of the Wizarding World and his former spy. "You were given one task, just one. Raise human beings. Feed them three times a day, bathe at least once a day, a bed to sleep in and clothes to wear. Do you even understand the damage you could have done in killing the boy?"

Albus combed through his beard. No wonder the boy held such hostilities. Again his brain brought up Kingsley. He had said the man's mind had painted and twisted Severus into a monster, a being lower than human that needed to be killed, but he had brushed that off as the boy being an absolute horror. Sweet Merlin, he couldn't believe his own foolishness.

Should he kill them?

No! That was not the answer, crazy coot. Maybe back in his younger days he would consider it a little harder but he was older now, wiser.

"Then again…" no, their deaths wouldn't stir even the slightest of pity, much less hot vengeance. Useless, utterly useless. "The boys must come back here—including Severus. That is not up for discussion. I will not hear any more ill towards the boy."

"That monster will NOT—!"

Albus waved a hand and Vernon's lips glued themselves together. This sent the man into a frenzy, fingers clawing at his mouth and his face quickly turning a nasty shade of purple. He seemed to have enough sense to not physically attack Albus, instead running about and destroying his home in a fit of rage. Luckily it also seemed that the man's size had caused a lowering in stamina so he was soon leaned against his couch, panting and sweating profusely.

"Would you like to be removed?" Albus finally asked, a very fine solution popping into his head. He tapped his wand against his hand. "You are beyond useless, not even a pawn but that is good for you. A wave of my wand and your memory will be wiped of this family." The man found his second wind and went on another temper tantrum but Albus waited for it to dull once more, even faster now. "You can have a whole new life, far away from any danger. And yes, there will soon be very true danger but you have absolutely nothing to do with this."

"Vernon, tell him no," Petunia stumbled forward, unable to hear anymore. It was quiet, so quiet. She hated it even if it was just seconds long. She grabbed her husband by his shirt, clutching it desperately, "Tell him you love me too much to ever consider leaving us."

His eyes refused to meet hers and she let out a tiny whimper.

"I will allow you to think it over. You have until I finish my tea," Albus hummed, walking off to their rather drab kitchen.

-/+

It was finally! Finally! Over!

Harry flopped himself onto Severus's bed with a loud groan. His brother was nowhere to be seen, of course as he was serving his detention. Apparently Severus got a detention for every class he had missed and detentions rolled over at this school. So, in conclusion, Severus was going to serve detention until his third year. Maybe until after he graduated as the detentions did nothing to deter his twin.

If they were staying at Hogwarts, of course.

Harry crammed extra hard, hours having information poured into his skull. His hair hurt with how hard he worked his brain and his feelings were a little bruised because Severus could be a right berk when teaching something. He was absolutely positive that Severus would make a horrendous teacher and that was his favorite person in the whole world. Well, that didn't matter. It was all going to be worth it in the end because those scores would be the icing on the cake for a new school!

"Potter?" Harry opened one eye and saw Draco, of course. Harry closed his eye again. He didn't hate Draco. He really didn't hate him but still, there was still that little pit of irrational jealousy—a hot ball that simmered in the bottom of his gut and echoed in the back of his mind.

Good thing they were leaving Hogwarts.

No, bad Harry.

That wasn't a good reason to leave school! They were leaving because a crazy Dark Lord was after them and Hogwarts was likely not the best place.

"Would you and Severus like to come to Malfoy Manor?" Draco inquired, gliding over to his own bed and drawing Harry out of his own thoughts. Harry wasn't even looking at him and knew he was gliding effortlessly rather than walking like a normal person.

"Sev will probably be happy to go but Ron already invited me over for the summer," Harry forced himself to say. He wasn't some guardian of Severus, they were just blood related best friends and fraternal twins born from the same woman on the same day. That trumped any kind of friendship and sorta cousins kinship that Draco had. So there was no need to be jealous.

"Severus, did not wish to join?" Draco inquired, head in his trunk. What kind of kid even talked like that? The blond sounded nearly forty and not almost twelve. Ignoring that Severus sometimes talked like that too.

"More or less," Harry grinned. Severus had said, quite dryly and without looking up from his book, that he would rather stick quills through both his eyes and glue both his feet to the Great Squid before setting foot in that house. Or something like that. Yeah, Severus didn't like Ron that much or the thought of spending the summer in a cramped home with way too many people. To be fair three people was too much for the boy and that was including Harry.

"I will extend the invitation to him. Potter," Draco paused as he left the room, towel and bath supplies in hand. Harry rolled over to look at him, glasses sliding up into his hair. He squinted as though he couldn't see Draco clearly but, quite honestly, his vision was getting better and better each day. His glasses were little more than a fashion statement at this point. Not that anyone but he and Severus knew. "I am glad you are safe. You are Sev's brother so I consider you family as well. Please, be more careful from now on."

"I promise," Harry said solemnly, feeling a bit of warmth from the words. Draco nodded sharply and continued his walk to the showers. Harry groaned, squeezing his eyes shut as tight as possible. Maybe if he was in Slytherin as well it wouldn't be so hard to like the blond.

"Well, don't have to worry about that," Harry hummed to himself. He flipped forward, his glasses righting themselves with the motion. Then he skipped out of the Slytherin dorms and headed towards Lupin's private lab. As he suspected, the man was there, muttering under his breath and perhaps bungling a potion. Severus said that the man didn't know how to make even the simplest remedy without a book nearby. For normal wizards Harry supposed that wasn't so bad but when that wizard was the potions Professor… well, Harry could wonder some other time what went through their (soon to be ex) Headmaster's head.

"Hello Harry," the werewolf muttered then he choked a bit as though realizing just who he had greeted. He whipped his head around, eyes wide and a hesitant smile trying to spread across his face. "Harry!"

"Hellu, Professor!" Harry chirped, finding a seat across from the man and his potion. He peeped into the cauldron and gave a knowing nod. "Pepper up potion?"

"Ten points to Gryffindor," Remus grinned proudly. Harry resisted rolling his eyes, Severus was much more impressive at potions, he would be able to tell the man why his potion smelled a bit off but some strange thing stopped the golden eyed man from acknowledging him.

"It's okay, it's the end of the year and I'm not coming back next year," Harry waved him off cheerfully. He giggled at the startled, gaping expression Lupin adopted. "We have plans for a great school so it'll work out but I didn't come here for that! I came for stories!"

"Stories?" Remus parroted, tilting his head like a curious puppy.

"Yup! I want stories about my mum and dad! Severus says you were all good friends and I want to know more," Harry cheered then he sobered some at the look of distress on the man's face. "I don't want to make you uncomfortable but it would mean a lot to me if you could tell me just a little. Sev is okay not really knowing, he has me and he's okay with just that… I'm not like that. I know I look like my dad and I've—."

"Got Lily's eyes," Remus cut him off. He reached over hesitantly, brushing back the wild, black bangs. Bangs that James once had. "You really do look like James. Act like him too. Our first week here he found a secret room that led to a room full of spiders. It had no purpose. Just spiders."

Harry grinned and leaned forward, "How big were they?"

"Huge!" Remus held out his hand in measurement, "Nearly bigger than your head. The room was covered in their webs so of course the first thing Peter does is trip over his own feet and land in the biggest web possible."

Harry snorted and got more comfortable in his chair, now fully prepared to be dazzled with stories of his father and his friends.

And dazzled he was. For hours he listened to tales of awkward charm, broken glasses, and fun duels. His father was a fun boy, ready to live life to the fullest and always doing the right thing—except when it came to pranks. His father pranked everyone from professors to upperclassmen to ghosts.

It was well beyond curfew that Harry finally felt his eyes becoming heavy even as he huffed out another laugh, this time at the time that Sirius had insulted a girl and she cursed him into wearing a dress and heels the entire day.

A small hand landed on his shoulder and he turned to see Severus, the redhead looking all gooey and happy. He wasn't sure when the boy had come but he must have been there for quite some time. He guided Harry to his feet and they were leaving but Harry turned to their soon to be former professor before they could leave the lab.

"The Sirius from your stories doesn't sound like a Sirius that would betray our dad," he yawned. Harry wasn't quite sure as his eyes were becoming blurry with the need to sleep but he could have sworn there were tears in the man's eyes.

"Yeah, he sure doesn't, does he?"

-/+

The End

And that's it folks!

I'm debating if Vernon will take the deal or not. We'll find out in the next segment! I should be ready to debut Friday (tomorrow if I finish "proofreading" before midnight). I think I've settled on "Harry, Severus and the Serious Year". Or "Harry, Severus and the Year of Dog and Snake". I'm stewing between the two.

I know I always say stay safe at the end but this time stay extra safe. The world is going crazy, in a potentially good way and in a way that I hope pushes along change but still it's dangerous. So y'all stay extra safe, please.

Toodles!


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